Orange County College Baseball : Once-Mighty Titans Cast as Underdogs : Fullerton Picked Behind UCSB, Las Vegas in PCAA; UCI Fifth

There’s a different feeling surrounding the Cal State Fullerton baseball program these days. And it’s not one born of confidence.

Gone are the days when the Titans were expected to win their conference and contend for a national title. The 1987 Titans are underdogs this season.

UC Santa Barbara, the defending Pacific Coast Athletic Assn. champion, is favored to repeat. Nevada Las Vegas is expected to finish second, Fullerton third and UC Irvine fifth.

“I enjoy the underdog role,” said Coach Augie Garrido, beginning his 15th season at Fullerton with a record of 623-275-6. “We haven’t had that privilege in 11 years, and I’m excited about building a team that has to be hungry and scrappy to be successful.”

It’s been two years since Fullerton last qualified for the NCAA playoffs. The Titans had made 11 straight postseason appearances, winning the national championship in 1979 and 1984. In 1986, Fullerton fell to 36-21.

The Titans return 10 players from last season, including starting pitchers Mike Harkey and Larry Casian.

Harkey, a junior right-hander from Ganesha High School, is a preseason All-American. Last season, he was 9-6 with a 3.41 earned-run average and struck out 125 batters in 129 innings. Casian, a senior left-hander, was all-conference last season with a 6-1 record and a team-leading 2.84 ERA.

Senior Mike Ham has the job of trying to replace John Eccles, a second-team All-American catcher who hit .381 with 13 home runs and 81 RBIs as a senior.

In the infield, returning senior Tony Trevino will play third base, sophomore Mark Razook shortstop, junior Mike Ross second and senior Paul Cameron first. Junior Keith Kaub is expected to play first base later in the season, after recovering from arm surgery undergone over winter break.

In the outfield, senior Mark Baca will start in center with returning juniors Greg Mannion in left and Jim Osborn in right.

Fullerton opens its season against its alumni team Saturday at 1 p.m. on Titan Field.

Pitching is the major concern at UC Irvine.

Though the Anteaters return four pitchers with Division I experience, only one was a starter--Craig Brink.

Brink, a junior right-hander, was 6-4 last season. The other three--Sam Maatallah, Rob Johnson and Gabby Rodriguez--combined for a 3-7 record.

Junior Doug Linton (4-7 with a 5.40 ERA) was counted on heavily but signed with the Toronto Blue Jays in August.

Transfer Dean Douty (Golden West College) and freshman Jeff Haack (Huntington Beach High School) are expected to offer immediate help, and freshman Mitch Parrott, who originally came to UCI on a basketball scholarship, is expected to help later in the season.

The Anteaters have two experienced junior catchers in Doug Kline and Don Nicholson.

Mike Sugar, a senior third baseman who hit .283 with 4 home runs and 28 RBIs last season, will be the Anteaters’ cleanup hitter.

Junior first baseman Gene Roumimper led UCI with 9 home runs and 53 RBIs last season but passed up his senior year to sign with the Milwaukee Brewers. John Seeberger, a transfer from Saddleback College, will play first base.

Jeff Oberdank, a transfer from Fullerton, where he was a third baseman, will switch to second. Sophomore Chris Gallego will start at shortstop.

Junior Rory Valasek will be Irvine’s center fielder, with returning players Stacy Parker, Mike Fay and Franks Spats splitting time in left and right.

Coach Mike Gerakos begins his seventh season at UCI with a 155-164-5 record. The Anteaters, 20-26-2 last season, play a doubleheader against St. Mary’s in their first home game of the season, at noon Feb. 7.