Titan Reliever Quiets Alabama

Freshman Adam Johnson came to Cal State Fullerton hoping to be a starting pitcher.

After Saturday, he has no problem with being the Titans’ closer.

Johnson worked 4 2/3 innings of shutout relief and Fullerton got an unearned run in the ninth to beat Alabama, 5-4, at Titan Field.

It was the first victory for Johnson, who got his first save Wednesday against UCLA.

Johnson gave the Titans an immediate lift against second-ranked Alabama, which has lost twice to Fullerton after winning its first 10 games this season.

Johnson came on in the fifth inning with the bases loaded and Fullerton trailing, 4-1. But he got Sam Bozanich to ground into a double play to end the threat.

“I wanted to come in then,” Johnson said. “I loved that. It’s always a fun situation.”

Johnson, a right-hander from Del Mar Torrey Pines High, kept getting stronger. He retired 11 in a row until Alabama’s Dan Chavers singled with one out in the ninth. One out later, Paul Phillips walked but Johnson struck out Drew Bounds on breaking balls. Johnson had eight strikeouts and gave up one hit.

The Titans (10-5) needed only two batters to win it in the ninth. Greg Jacobs started it with an opposite-field single to left. He went to second on a passed ball and scored on a throwing error by losing pitcher Jarrod Kingrey (2-1).

“That was spectacular,” Fullerton Coach George Horton said of Johnson, who was slowed early this season because of a sore back. “He single-handedly turned the game around.”

Fullerton scored twice in the sixth to tie it, 4-4. Ryan Owens singled in a run to cut the lead to 4-3. The Titans had the bases loaded when Kevin Duck sacrificed and reached on a throwing error.

Pinch-hitter Ryan Moore struck out, but pinch-hitter Jacobs singled to left to drive in the tying run. Owens also tried to score on the play but was thrown out by left fielder Bounds.

Steve Chatham had a run-scoring single in the fourth after Aaron Rowand doubled.

Reed Johnson had a run-scoring triple in the fifth for the Titans.