Loyola Is Set Back by Titans : Garcia Pitches Three-Hitter for His Third Shutout

Longo Garcia pitched one of the those games coaches dream about Sunday as Cal State Fullerton defeated Loyola Marymount, 3-0, in a nonconference baseball game at Fullerton.

Garcia, a senior right-hander, gave up three hits and walked two as he pitched his third shutout of the season, which ties a single-season Fullerton record.

Garcia got the leadoff hitter out in all nine innings. Of the three hits he gave up, one was a bad-hop single. He picked off one of the other successful hitters at first base. Only in the ninth did he allow two runners to reach base.

It was the fourth complete game for Garcia, who has won his last five starts and is 6-1 this season.

Garcia has shut out Pepperdine, 2-0, and Dominguez Hills, 13-0. He lowered his earned-run average to 2.55.

Loyola (19-7) is ranked seventh in the nation by Baseball America. Fullerton (17-8), which has won 12 of its last 14, is ranked 19th.

“That was one of the best games I’ve pitched all season,” Garcia said. “I was hitting my spots with my curveball and fastball. We also played some good defense.”

Garcia was also part of the best defensive play. Greg Wall grounded a ball that got past first baseman Keith Kaub, but second baseman Mike Ross got to the ball and threw to Garcia, who was covering first.

“He pitched about as well as one can pitch,” Larry Cochell, Fullerton coach, said. “When you get your breaking stuff over the plate like he did, then you are going to do well on any level.”

Garcia also impressed sophomore catcher Brent Mayne.

“He’s great to catch. He always has about the same stuff. Today he just kept hitting his spots.”

Loyola had its only threat in the ninth.

With one out, Carl Fraticelli grounded the ball toward first, but it took an awkward bounce over the head of Kaub. Brian Turang then walked on four pitches. But Garcia came back to strike out Travis Tricarico on three pitches and got Don Sparks to fly out to Kaub in foul territory to end the game.

Fullerton scored single runs in the first, fifth and sixth to support the effort of Garcia. In the first, Shane Flores reached base on a fielder’s choice, moved to third on a single by Ross and scored on Kaub’s single to right-center field. Kaub had three hits, scored a run and had an RBI.

In the fifth, Greg Mannion singled, stole second, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly by Flores.

In the sixth, Kaub lined a double down the left-field line to open the inning and scored on a single by Mayne.

Fullerton will play at Pepperdine Tuesday in its final nonconference game before the start of the Pacific Coast Athletic Assn. season Friday. Fullerton, the PCAA defending champion, will play at the University of the Pacific Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

“I’m very happy with where we are going into conference,” Cochell said. “We have been playing pretty well the last three weeks. . . . Shane Flores has really been a pleasant surprise so far.”

Flores, a senior transfer from the University of Oklahoma who sat out last season, is hitting .347 (32 of 92).

Mayne, the son of Mike Mayne, Orange Coast College baseball coach, has been the hottest hitter lately for Fullerton. He is hitting .414 (39 for 94) and leads the team in average and hits.