Titans Feel the Sting of Elimination : Baseball: Fullerton blows numerous scoring chances in 3-2, 12-inning loss to Georgia Tech.

An entire game of might-have-beens for Cal State Fullerton came to an end in the 12th inning Wednesday night. The Titans had two on, including Dante Powell at third base, with no one out but failed to score and Georgia Tech held on for a 3-2 victory that put the Yellow Jackets to Saturday’s championship game of the College World Series.

“That was a devastating defeat, based on the type of baseball we play,” Fullerton Coach Augie Garrido said. “We’re normally very good at converting those kinds of opportunities. But that’s also to the credit of the Georgia Tech pitching and defense.”

In the 12th, Powell singled to right-center, then advanced to third when the ball skidded under the outfielder’s glove. Catcher Bret Hemphill walked, leaving the Titans (47-16) three chances to bring in Powell with the tying run.

But it wasn’t to be. Sal Mancuso struck out, and D.C. Olsen popped up. After pinch-hitter Jim Betzsold walked to load the bases, it came down to Brian King, whose RBI in the regional against Oklahoma State sent the game into extra innings. There was no magic this time, and King’s fly ball ended Fullerton’s bid for its third national championship.

A home run in the top of the 12th by Georgia Tech shortstop Nomar Garciaparra stood up as the victory margin.

“This was a game of missed opportunities on offense,” said Garrido, whose Titans were 0 for 13 with runners in scoring position. “We were a fly ball away from tying it four different times. It was a case of Georgia Tech doing some things that nobody else has done to us.”

Garrido said he had considered a squeeze bunt in the 12th but rejected it.

“The people we had going to the plate are not normally the ones you’d try that with,” he said. Garrido also said he was reluctant to gamble with the bunt out of his respect for Georgia Tech catcher Jason Varitek.

“If we swing through a bunt, we get the runner picked off of third,” Garrido said. “We needed to hit the ball then, with the way they were set up defensively.”

Powell said he thought the Titans were on their way back when he reached third.

“It was just one of those nights when we couldn’t seem to cash in,” Powell said. “Their pitchers pitched well. We tried to put together a couple of good innings, but couldn’t get it done. It was uncharacteristic of us to leave that many runners on base. You can hindsight it, but that’s what happened.”

The Titans also wasted golden scoring opportunities in the third, seventh and 10th innings.

Fullerton loaded the bases with one out in the third, when Georgia Tech starter Brad Rigby gave up three walks, but Mancuso struck out and Adam Millan popped out. In the seventh, hits by Mark Kotsay and Powell put two runners on, but a double play ended the inning.

The Yellow Jackets came up with another big rally-killing double play in the 10th. Millan and Jason Gill singled, moving one runner into scoring position, before the double play stopped the threat.

Georgia Tech (50-16) scored two runs in the first inning off Mike Parisi, who gave up six hits in seven innings. Outfielder Jay Payton hit his 20th home run of the season with Varitek on base.

The Titans got one back in their half of the first. Jeff Ferguson led off with a single and advanced on a sacrifice by Kotsay. Powell walked, and Ferguson came home on Hemphill’s sacrifice bunt.

Fullerton tied the score, 2-2, in the fourth when Jeremy Giambi led off with a home run, his second of the season. But the rest of the game was a litany of missed chances for the Titans.

Fullerton wound up leaving 15 on base; Georgia Tech stranded 11.

Chris Myers pitched four innings of scoreless relief for Georgia Tech, escaping in the 10th and 12th innings for the victory.

“I would not have made a pitching change in any situation,” Georgia Tech Coach Danny Hall said. “Chris Myers was going to win or lose that game and fortunately he found a way to win it.”

Ted Silva, highly successful as a closer for the Titans throughout the season, took the loss, giving up the home run to Garciaparra.

The Titans finished the season 47-16; Georgia Tech (50-16) advanced to Saturday’s final against either Oklahoma or Arizona State.