MIDWEST
Cal State Fullerton’s bid for a third consecutive trip to the World Series ended in Wichita, Kan., with a 13-10 loss to Rice in the Midwest Regional in a game that had all the elements of Fullerton’s season: a promising start, strong hitting by outfielder Mark Kotsay and a desperate finish in which almost nothing seemed to work.
Rice then lost to Wichita State, 16-6, in the championship game.
Kotsay homered twice, including a three-run shot in the eighth inning for a 10-7 lead, but Rice scored six runs in the eighth.
It was the fifth time the lead had been reversed in a game with rain delays of 50 and 53 minutes.
With both teams’ pitching drained, it came down to which team would out-hit the other, and Rice finished with 19 hits to Fullerton’s 10.
Fullerton’s season, which began with 38 victories in 42 games, ended at 45-16.
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