Fullerton Earns Trip to Omaha

Cal State Fullerton is back in the College World Series for the seventh time under Coach Augie Garrido, but this time Garrido says it’s particularly special.

That’s because Garrido likes the chemistry and the courage displayed by this year’s team. Those qualities showed again Sunday when the Titans came back from a 6-2 deficit to defeat Rice, 8-7, and win the NCAA South Regional at Alex Box Stadium.

Fullerton, the nation’s top-ranked team with a 53-9 record, will be making its second consecutive World Series appearance, ninth as a school and its third trip to Omaha in the last four years. Play begins Friday, but pairings won’t be announced until Tuesday.

“Our team put together two courageous games in a row, and that’s the kind of team this is,” Garrido said. The Titans also fell behind, 5-0, in the top of the first inning against Rice a day earlier, but came back to win, 17-7.

Fullerton won despite getting only eight hits, marking only the 15th time this season the Titans have not had 10 or more. The 11 walks Rice pitchers issued were a big factor.

Rice scored three runs in the fifth to build a four-run lead before Fullerton struggled back and scored the winning run on only one hit in the ninth.

D.C. Olsen’s second hit of the game started the inning, and Joe Fraser reached base when Rice relief pitcher Matt Anderson missed getting Olsen at second on Fraser’s bunt. Another bunt, this one by tournament most valuable player Jack Jones, advanced both runners, and reserve Mike Lamb’s sacrifice fly brought in what was the eventual winning run.

Lamb entered the game on defense at third base after C.J. Ankrum unsuccessfully pinch-hit for Tony Martinez in the eighth.

Mark Kotsay was again the Titans’ clutch relief pitcher. The star center fielder came on in the ninth and held the Owls to one walk. Three other batters grounded out, and when Kotsay got Lance Berkman to bounce out to Fraser at second, the celebration began.

“There was a lot of tension and pressure in this game and both teams played like it,” Garrido said. “I think we felt the pressure to win. And that’s the only time this team seems to have problems. I think it was a matter of wanting to win too much.”

The Titans battled back with two runs on four walks and a hit batter in the seventh, and three runs on two hits in the eighth.

Rice starting pitcher Mike Wilson got into trouble when he walked Jones and Tony Martinez in the seventh, and Anderson came on in relief. He immediately walked Tony Miranda and hit Robert Matos, sending in one run. Anderson struck out the next two batters, but another walk to Brian Loyd brought in the second run.

Two walks also helped the Titans score three runs in the eighth. Fraser singled to start the inning, Jones walked and Miranda’s bloop single to right loaded the bases. A walk to Matos forced in another run and Jones scored on a passed ball. A sacrifice fly by Kotsay gave Fullerton another run and their first lead of the game, 7-6.

Rice, however, came back to tie the score in the bottom of the eighth on David Brooks’ one-out home run against relief pitcher Mark Chavez. That was the only home run of the game.

“Rice can really hit,” Garrido said. “How many homers did they have here, 12 or so? But they didn’t dominate the game with their home runs. We knew we just had to be patient with their pitchers because they’d been giving quite a few walks. It’s a lot easier to get the momentum when you’re aggressive.”

* LONG BEACH STATE: The 49ers lost to USC in the second and deciding NCAA West Regional game, 9-2. C3