Fullerton Puts Frustrations to Rest With Rally in Ninth

It had been a frustrating day for Cal State Fullerton.

But all that changed in the ninth inning Friday when pinch-hitter Sean Bischofberger drilled a two-run single with the bases loaded, lifting the Titans to a 6-5 victory over Michigan in the NCAA regional baseball playoffs at Notre Dame.

The No. 1-seeded Titans (45-11) were on the verge of an embarrassing first-round defeat before rallying for three runs in the ninth against the fourth-seeded Wolverines.

“It seemed like we had a lot of opportunities earlier, but we just couldn’t get the big hit,” Titan outfielder Spencer Oborn said.

Bischofberger, a freshman with a .262 batting average, finally got it, sending Fullerton into a winners’ bracket game against Notre Dame (43-16) today at Eck Stadium.

The Irish overwhelmed Creighton, 8-1, in the other first-round game behind a five-hit, complete-game pitching performance from Aaron Heilman. Michigan (32-29) and Creighton (38-24) will play an elimination game today.

“I just wanted to keep the inning going,” Bischofberger said. “It’s everyone’s dream to come up like that, and get a hit. But the credit has to go to those guys who got on base ahead of me.”

Michigan relief pitcher Luke Bonner opened the door when he hit Reed Johnson and then gave up a one-out walk to Chris Beck. Aaron Rifkin connected on his third hit of the game to load the bases, and Ryan Owens’ infield single brought in one run.

“I was sitting on a fastball,” said Bischofberger. He got one on a 1-1 pitch and lined it cleanly into right center, scoring Beck and Rifkin. It was Bischofberger’s ninth appearance as a pinch-hitter this season and his third hit in five at-bats in that role. Bischofberger also had walked three times and was hit once.

“I told him earlier in the inning that he would probably be pinch-hitting because I wanted him to have time to loosen up,” Titan Coach George Horton said.

Fullerton had left the bases loaded in the eighth when David Bacani grounded out, and had stranded 10 runners heading into the ninth. The Titans had 11 hits in seven innings off starter Bryce Ralston, but could get only three runs.

“We were frustrated, but I think a lot of that had to do with Michigan’s toughness,” Horton said. “We shot ourselves in the foot by not getting some clutch hits, but Michigan’s pitchers kept coming at us.”

Fullerton lost a potential run in the first inning when Rifkin ripped a shot to left-center, but the ball bounced over the fence for a ground-rule double. One run came across but Oborn, who had already rounded third, had to return to third, and was left there.

The Titans scored two runs in the fifth on consecutive singles by Johnson, Oborn, Beck and Rifkin. Rifkin’s hit drove in two runs, but he later was called for interference on his slide at second base. That produced an automatic double play, costing the Titans a run that appeared certain to have scored from third.

“The interference play bothered me more than the run we lost on the ground-rule double,” Horton said. “You have to slide directly into the base, and he didn’t do that.”

A strong effort from relief pitcher Kirk Saarloos helped save the day for the Titans.

Starter Matt Sorensen had given up Michigan’s fourth run in the seventh on a double by Jason Alcaraz, but Saarloos (7-2) came in to strike out the only two batters he faced in the inning and got the victory. Horton said he was pleased with the work of both pitchers. Sorensen gave up eight hits in 6 1/3 innings, but he also walked four.

“Matt is a fine-line pitcher, and he probably was too fine early,” Horton said. “Kirk did a fabulous job, and gave us a chance to win it. Normally we give our pitchers more help than that with our offense.”