CAL STATE FULLERTON PROFILES

Phil Nevin

Position: Third base

Height: 6-1: Weight: 170

Statistics: .361, 14 HRs, 51 RBIs, 58 runs

Hometown: Placentia

With a team-leading 42 walks, Nevin has a .466 on-base percentage. The freshman from El Dorado High School gives the Titans a triple threat in the leadoff position--he can hit the long ball, draw a walk and steal bases. He led the Big West Conference in home runs and has been selected to play on the U.S. national team this summer.

Mate Borgogno

Position: Second base

Height: 5-10: Weight: 165

Statistics: .376, 16 doubles, 54 RBIs, 44 runs

Hometown: Chino Hills

The junior is an ideal No. 2 batter--he can hit to all fields, bunt, hit-and-run, and he almost always makes contact (21 strikeouts in 226 at-bats this season). Borgogno struggled defensively last season, making most of his 29 errors at shortstop, but has only nine errors this season at second base.

Rich Gonzales

Position: Left field

Height: 6-2: Weight: 200

Statistics: .383, 5 HRs, 42 RBIs, 44 runs

Hometown: Diamond Bar

Gonzales, who struck out only 13 times during the regular season, went through a mini-slump during the NCAA Central Regional, striking out five times in two games. But he also homered once, had five RBIs and finished with a .400 average. Not a spectacular fielder but has come up with some big defensive plays.

Frank Charles

Position: Designated hitter

Height: 6-3: Weight: 205

Statistics: .330, 6 HRs, 43 RBIs, 36 runs

Hometown: Valencia

Charles hit just .188 in the regional but had a key RBI single against Creighton that gave the Titans a 4-2 lead and a sacrifice fly in the first game against Texas that gave Fullerton a 4-2 lead. A transfer from Pepperdine and the team’s backup catcher, Charles has good power to left field but can also hit to the opposite field.

Steve Sisco

Position: First base

Height: 5-10: Weight: 180

Statistics: .302, 4 HRs, 32 RBIs, 29 runs

Hometown: Thousand Oaks

The junior saved at least three runs during the regional with back-handed scoops of low throws to first. Sisco played shortstop at Thousand Oaks High and Moorpark College but has made a smooth transition to first base, where he made only five errors and has a .991 fielding percentage this season.

Matt Hattabaugh

Position: Catcher

Height: 6-1: Weight: 205

Statistics: .311, 5 HRs, 25 RBIs, 32 runs

Hometown: Huntington Beach

The former Marina High star hit just three home runs in the regular season but got hot in the playoffs, hitting two home runs and a double in the regionals to earn all-tournament team honors. Hattabaugh is a solid defensive catcher with a strong arm but his best asset is calling pitches.

Kevin Farlow

Position: Shortstop

Height: 6-4: Weight: 170

Statistics: .277, 6 HRs, 31 RBIs, 44 runs

Hometown: Northridge

Farlow has given the Titan infield a big defensive boost, and, most important, his presence has allowed Borgogno to return to second base, his natural position. He hit .210 in the No. 9 spot for about half the season but batted .355 in Big West Conference action and has since been moved up to the No. 7 spot.

Paul Bunch

Position: Right field

Height: 6-0: Weight: 180

Statistics: .306, 24 RBIs, 27 runs

Hometown: Anaheim

Bunch replaced David Ayala in right field in the third game of the regional and had five hits in nine at-bats for a .556 average, one home run and three RBIs in two games. The senior from Buena Park High has one of the strongest arms on the team and is expected to remain in the lineup for the world series.

Domingo Mota

Position: Center field

Height: 5-8: Weight: 175

Statistics: .268, 22 RBIs, 36 runs, 18 SBs

Hometown: La Crescenta

The son of Dodger coach Manny Mota, the junior had an excellent regional, batting .357 (5 for 14) with three RBIs, four runs and four stolen bases. The success of Mota and Farlow at the bottom of the order has given Nevin and Borgogno many RBI opportunities. Mota’s speed also gives the Titans great defensive range in center field.

David Ayala

Position: Outfield

Height: 6-2: Weight: 180

Statistics: .298, 15 RBIs, 22 runs

Hometown: Riverside

Ayala wasn’t slumping in the regional--Coach Larry Cochell said he took him out because Bunch was a better fastball hitter, and the Titans were facing hard-throwing Texas ace Kirk Dressendorfer. But if Fullerton goes up against a finesse pitcher, Ayala will likely be back in the lineup.

James Popoff

Position: Pitcher

Height: 6-2: Weight: 210

Statistics: 12-4, 3.33 ERA, 86 SO, 35 BB

Hometown: Whittier

The sophomore right-hander, whose wide repertoire of pitches includes a tricky knuckleball when it’s working, won two games in the regional, including a complete-game, four-hit shutout of Texas in the final game. Popoff, who changes speeds on his curveball, has been the Titans’ most consistent pitcher this season.

Huck Flener

Position: Pitcher

Height: 6-0: Weight: 175

Statistics: 8-1, 3.72 ERA, 86 SO, 47 BB

Hometown: Fairfield

The junior left-hander stopped a string of four no-decisions with a complete-game victory over Creighton in the regionals. Flener doesn’t throw very hard and is most effective when he has command of his breaking pitches and changeup. He sometimes throws so slow, that he is able to sneak an occasional fastball by hitters.

Sam Colarusso

Position: Pitcher

Height: 6-0: Weight: 185

Statistics: 7-3, 3.24 ERA, 57 SO, 38 BB

Hometown: Las Vegas

Colarusso had the toughest assignment of the regional, pitching against Texas in 100-degree heat and 50% humidity, but he came through with a seven-inning, seven-hit performance that led Fullerton to a 5-2 victory. Colarusso relies much more on his curve and slider than his fastball.

Chris Robinson

Position: Pitcher

Height: 6-0: Weight: 180

Statistics: 3-3, 3.38 ERA, 5 saves

Hometown: Fullerton

Relief pitching isn’t exactly a team strength, especially early in the season when the Titans blew several late-inning leads. But Robinson, a junior right-hander, has emerged as the team’s only stopper and closed with four consecutive good outings, including his two-innings of scoreless relief to save Colarusso’s win over Texas.

Larry Cochell

Coach

With a 796-452-2 record in 24 years as a head coach, Cochell is four victories shy of his 800th win. The 49-year-old will be making his third trip to the College World Series and his second with the Titans. Fullerton finished third in the 1988 world series during Cochell’s first year as Titan coach. He also coached at Emporia State (1967-69), Creighton (1970-71), Cal State Los Angeles (1972-76), Oral Roberts (1977-86) and Northwestern (1987). The Lebanon, Ore. native played at Arizona State under former Coach Bobby Winkles and began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Utah State.