Preview: Cal State Fullerton Titans at San Diego Toreros

SAN DIEGO (Interstat) — Two teams looking to halt recent slides will meet Tuesday when the Cal State Fullerton Titans visit the San Diego Toreros at USD Sports Center.

First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. PDT under clear skies with a temperature near 68 degrees.

The Titans (10-13) enter having lost three straight, including a 4-1 defeat to Cal State Northridge on Sunday. The Toreros (8-14) have dropped seven of their last eight, most recently an 11-6 loss to Gonzaga on Sunday.

A key matchup will feature Cal State Fullerton’s Jayden Harper against San Diego’s hot-hitting Andrew Gauna.

Harper, a right-hander, is coming off a strong seven-inning start against Cal State Northridge, allowing two earned runs on seven hits. His role for Tuesday is undetermined, but he has been a versatile arm, logging both starts and relief appearances. In his last four outings, he has 15 strikeouts in 15.1 innings.

Gauna, the Toreros’ right fielder, has been a consistent offensive threat during the team’s struggles. He is 13 for 31 (.419) at the plate over his last nine games, driving in six runs. He went 3 for 4 with two RBIs in Sunday’s loss.

The Titans’ offense will look to rebound after scoring just three total runs in their last two games. Catcher Niko Lombardi, who had two of the team’s four hits Sunday, is one player they’ll rely on.

San Diego’s pitching staff seeks stability after allowing 10 or more runs in four of its last eight contests.

Projections for the game are split. Interstat’s game simulator predicts a 4-1 Titans victory, while its ELO rating system gives the Toreros a 62.9% probability to win.

This is the first of two scheduled meetings between the programs this season. They will meet again at Cal State Fullerton on April 14.

Following Tuesday’s contest, Cal State Fullerton travels to Hawaii for a series beginning March 29. San Diego opens a West Coast Conference series at home against Santa Clara on April 2.