Cal State Fullerton Notes : Star Pitcher Mark Beck Out for Year : He Reinjures Shoulder That Forced Withdrawal From Olympic Trials

Mark Beck, the Cal State Fullerton pitcher who withdrew from U.S. Olympic team competition with a shoulder injury last year, is out for the upcoming college season and will undergo surgery within 2 weeks.

Beck, a junior right-hander, had been rehabilitating the shoulder but reinjured it while throwing about 2 weeks ago.

Beck, who set a Fullerton record for strikeouts in a season with 162 last year, was named a preseason All-American by Baseball America magazine.

He had a 10-7 record last season for the Titans, who advanced to the semifinals of the College World Series.

“We’re certainly going to miss Mark this year, but we’re still confident in our pitching staff,” Fullerton Coach Larry Cochell said in a released statement. “We sure hate to lose a player of Mark’s caliber, but this just means somebody else is going to have to step forward.”

Fullerton will not make a decision on whether John Sneed, acting basketball coach, will get the job before opening the position for applications, Athletic Director Ed Carroll said Monday.

“We have an institutional commitment to affirmative action and an open-search process,” Carroll said. “We are going to go through our regular process.”

Carroll, who publicly defined the selection process for the first time Monday, said the decision is not an indication of Sneed’s chances.

Fullerton has begun publicizing the opening and expects to close application filings by late February. A coach could be named as soon as the day after the season ends, Carroll said.

Sneed, an assistant under George McQuarn for 8 seasons, was named acting coach after McQuarn resigned Nov. 3. He has said he is an applicant for the job since that day.