Four Titan Players Reinstated by Coach

The four Cal State Fullerton players suspended for the NCAA super-regional against Ohio State will be back for the College World Series. One of the four, pitcher Adam Johnson, is expected to start the Titans’ first game in Omaha on Saturday.

Coach George Horton lifted the suspensions of Johnson, pitcher Marco Hanlon and infielders David Bacani and Chad Olszanski after discussions with Athletic Director John Easterbrook Monday.

The NCAA Division I baseball committee also approved their reinstatement, Easterbrook said.

The players were arrested and charged with misdemeanors after a rock-throwing incident in South Bend, Ind., on May 30 after the Titans won the NCAA regional tournament.

“We feel the penalty served the situation,” Horton said. “Some people might look at it as only a three-game suspension, but you have to consider the importance of those three games to those players and the team. We feel they’ve handled the suspension well, and they’re remorseful. They will also be on probation with our program for a year. “

The Titans (49-12) play Stanford (48-13) at 5 p.m. (PDT) Saturday after Florida State (53-12) meets Texas A&M; (52-16) in a nationally televised game at 10:30 a.m. The tournament begins on Friday with Alabama (51-14) facing Oklahoma State (46-19) and Miami (46-13) meeting Rice (58-13).

Fullerton won the super-regional at Ohio State Sunday with a 13-2 victory over the Buckeyes in the third game of the best-of-three series. Stanford won its super-regional against USC in two games.

Horton said a final decision on a pitching rotation for the first two games of the College World Series has not been made, but pitching coach Dave Serrano said Johnson is the likely choice against the Cardinal.

Johnson (10-3, 3.22 ERA) pitched the Titan season opener against Stanford, giving up two hits and walking five and striking out seven in 6 1/3 innings. He was the winning pitcher in Fullerton’s 8-0 victory. Stanford came back to win the next two games of the series, 6-5 and 13-7.

Left-hander Jon Smith (7-0, 2.71) is the probable starter in Fullerton’s second game of the double-elimination tournament on Monday.

“I’m looking forward to putting all this behind us,” Johnson said Monday. “And I’m excited to have a team that picked us up like they did last weekend.”

The Division I baseball committee reviewed the case because the incident occurred during the playoffs. The committee unanimously decided that Fullerton’s penalty had been appropriate and approved the reinstatement, according to Jim Wright, an NCAA spokesman.

College World Series Schedule At Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha.

First games in double-elimination format

All times Pacific

FRIDAY

* Game 1--Oklahoma State (46-19) vs.

Alabama (51-14), 12:30 p.m.

* Game 2--Miami (46-13) vs.

Rice (58-13), 4:30 p.m.

SATURDAY

* Game 3--Florida State (53-12) vs.

Texas A&M; (52-16), 10:30 a.m.

* Game 4--Cal State Fullerton (49-12) vs.

Stanford (48-13), 5 p.m.