Angels’ Visit Brings Windfall for Titans

It was meant to be a fun day, and it turned out that way for Cal State Fullerton in its exhibition game Monday against the Angels.

From early in the game with pitcher Scott Hild retiring the Angels in order in the first two innings, on through the ninth when first baseman C.J. Ankrum robbed surprise pinch hitter Dave Parker of a base hit, the Titans enjoyed their day against major league competition.

The Angels won their final exhibition, 10-3, to no one’s surprise, but the Titans came away with an estimated $10,000 to benefit the baseball program, thanks to the season’s biggest crowd at Titan Field--2,131.

“I was happy with the way it went,” Titan Coach George Horton said. “I didn’t want it to be a bad experience for [the Angels], with an injury or anything like that, since they’re ready to open their season.”

For Hild, it was what he called “a once-in-a-lifetime experience.” And he especially enjoyed getting Tim Salmon out on a called third strike in the second inning.

“I sure didn’t expect that,” Hild said. “I remember he got a home run against [Matt] Wise last year when we played them in Arizona.”

Ankrum also was smiling about his diving stop of Parker’s line drive down the first-base line. When Parker, a member of the Angel coaching staff, made an appearance Ankrum was as surprised as anyone.

“He was coaching first base, and he was telling me the whole game that he was going to break my jaw if I did anything,” Ankrum said, smiling. “Did you think I was going to let him get one past me?”

The Angels didn’t get a run off Hild until the third when Jim Leyritz walked, Gary DiSarcina doubled and a run scored when Darin Erstad grounded out. They scored again in the fourth when Jim Edmonds doubled and later came home on Garret Anderson’s sacrifice fly. But the Angels didn’t take the lead until the fifth, an inning after Angel regulars had left the game.

Fullerton scored in the first and second for a 2-0 lead against Angel starter Mark Gubicza, who gave up seven hits and three runs in five innings. Shigetoshi Hasegawa held the Titans scoreless over the final four innings, giving up two hits.

The Titans scored in the first when Pete Fukuhara and Ankrum singled and Steve Chatham lined an RBI double. The run in the second came on Jerome Alviso’s single and Fukuhara’s double. The Titans scored in the fourth when Ryan Owens singled, and scored on Gaby Halcovich’s hit.