Titans Don’t Let Up Against San Diego

Even with a six-run cushion in the eighth inning against San Diego Tuesday, Cal State Fullerton’s No. 1-ranked baseball team didn’t show any signs of taking it easy.

Mark Kotsay, the 1995 college player of the year, went into second base with a head-first slide, stretching a line drive to right that scored two more runs into a double. But a hush came over Cunningham Stadium in San Diego when Kotsay got up asking for a trainer. The throw hit his chin, but the bump wasn’t serious.

It was typical, however, of the go-for-broke style of the Titan offense. Fullerton won the nonconference game, 11-3, marking the fifth time in the last seven games the Titans have scored 10 or more runs. They have been in double digits 11 times this season.

The victory was the eighth in a row for the Titans (23-2). Kotsay, Jerome Alviso and C.J. Ankrum each drove in three runs, and Tony Martinez and Steve Chatham each homered in Fullerton’s 13-hit day. Martinez scored four times, and Alviso was three for four as a replacement for injured shortstop Jack Jones. Jones missed his second consecutive game with a strained hamstring and might not play in the series against Hawaii-Hilo this week.

“We played good aggressive baseball,” Titan Coach Augie Garrido said. “That’s the mark of this team, and the leadership on it.”

Garrido also was pleased with Kirk Irvine’s second consecutive strong pitching performance. Irvine (7-1) gave up only three hits and one run in seven innings.

“I think I’ve got my rhythm going now,” said Irvine, who struck out four and didn’t give up a walk. “I just want to work hard now to keep it going. I felt good, and I had a much better strike-to-ball ratio in this game.”

Home runs gave Fullerton a 2-0 lead. Chatham’s shot to left in the first was his first of the season. Martinez connected for a 400-footer to center in the second. It was his fifth of the year and second in two games.

The Toreros scored once in the third, but Fullerton added two more runs in the fourth when Scott Seal singled and scored on an infield out. Kotsay’s sacrifice fly drove in another run. The Titans scored three in the sixth. Alviso doubled in one run, and Ankrum drove in two more. Kotsay’s two-run double highlighted Fullerton’s three-run eighth.

Kotsay said he had no hesitation about going for second on the play. “I felt I had every right to that bag,” said Kotsay. “It just turned out to be a lot closer play than I thought it was going to be with a good throw by their right fielder. I got a bump on my chin, though.”

In other nonconference baseball:

Lewis and Clark 8-4, Southern California College 3-4 (7)--Mike Grasse’s home run in the seventh inning of the second game won the game for Southern California College (5-20). Ryan Holman pitched a two-hitter for the Vanguards.

In the Rebel Spring women’s softball tournament:

Chapman wins twice--Christy Guidorizzi pitched a one-hitter, striking out 14 as the Panthers beat Trenton (N.J.) State, 2-1, in the first game in Orlando, Fla. Then she gave up three hits and struck out 15 in a 7-0 victory over Illinois Wesleyan.