COLLEGE ROUNDUP : Kotsay Puts on a Show in Titans’ Victory

Mark Kotsay was a one-man show Tuesday night in Cal State Fullerton’s 10-9 victory over USC in a nonconference baseball game Tuesday at Fullerton.

Kotsay, a sophomore center fielder, hit a three-run home run, scored the eventual winning run, made a diving catch to save a run, and retired the final batter for his fourth save.

Kotsay also had a sacrifice fly and a double for the Titans (11-2), ranked second by Collegiate Baseball. USC, fifth in the same poll, is 10-4.

Pitching proved to be the Titans’ nemesis.

Fullerton provided starter John Mitchell with an 8-2 lead in the third inning, but he gave up six runs over the next two innings as USC cut the Titans’ lead to 9-8.

But Tom Dillon provided some relief, pitching 1 2/3 scoreless innings, followed by Mark Chavez, who allowed one run in 2 1/3 innings.

Kotsay entered with two on and two outs in the ninth, and got pinch-hitter Justin Paperny to ground out to second baseman Joe Fraser.

The Titans scored six runs in the first, highlighted by Kotsay’s three-run home run off Seth Etherton, a freshman from Dana Hills High. Etherton (1-1) took the loss.

D.C. Olsen’s double drove home Kotsay in the seventh to put the Titans ahead, 10-8.