Titans Tapping a Power Surge

Cal State Fullerton didn’t build its reputation as one of the nation’s top teams this season by blasting home runs, but that might be changing.

The Titans went deep three times against host Notre Dame in the NCAA regional tournament Saturday, then let sophomore pitcher Adam Johnson do the rest.

Johnson pitched a complete-game eight-hitter, and the No. 1-seeded Titans won, 6-3, to emerge unbeaten for today’s championship round.

Fullerton (46-11) will play Michigan (34-29), with the Wolverines needing to win twice to deny Fullerton its 10th regional title in 21 tries. Michigan eliminated Notre Dame, 11-5, Saturday night.

The winner will advance to a super-regional for a best-of-three playoff series against the Ohio State regional champion. The site will be determined on Monday.

“We don’t normally rely on the long ball, but it was important today,” Titan Coach George Horton said.

Center fielder Reed Johnson’s three-run homer in the fifth inning was the big hit. Chris Beck also homered with the bases empty later in the inning, and the four-run outburst put Fullerton ahead to stay. Ryan Owens had homered in the second inning--his team-leading 19th of the season--to give Fullerton a 1-1 tie.

Johnson’s one-out homer, his 12th of the year, came after Notre Dame starting pitcher Tim Kalita walked Fullerton’s eighth and ninth batters, Craig Patterson and Chris Stringfellow, leading off the inning.

“I saw before that he was starting to struggle with his control, so I wanted to make sure I got a fastball and a fastball only,” Johnson said. “I took a slider in the dirt, and then got the pitch I wanted.”

Kalita had struck out Beck in the second and fourth innings before Beck connected on a towering shot to left center. “He had been getting me on sliders down and away, but he left one where I could turn on it,” Beck said.

Beck’s homer and the celebration that followed brought an exchange of words between Titan players and Notre Dame catcher Paul O’Toole, but home plate umpire Tony Maners quickly took control of the situation.

It was the 15th time this season Fullerton has hit three or more homers in a game, and the 10th time in the last 13 games. Beck also drilled an RBI triple in the seventh that gave Fullerton its three-run lead, and Johnson was solid the rest of the way. He gave up only one bloop hit in the final four innings.

Johnson (10-3) gave up two of his five walks in the eighth, but got a big strikeout against pinch-hitter Ed Golom for the final out of the inning. “We didn’t consider taking Johnson out,” Horton said. “It was his game to win or lose at that point.”

Notre Dame Coach Paul Mainieri said he was impressed by Johnson’s effort.

“Johnson was everything everyone said he was,” Mainieri said. “He’s a real competitor. He has a really good fastball, and he threw his off-speed pitches well. I thought the pitching was great for both sides, with the exception of that one inning for us.”

Johnson’s six strikeouts were below his season average, but Johnson said he didn’t rely as much on his fastball as he usually does.

“We thought they were a fastball-hitting team, so I went with my slow curveball more,” Johnson said. “The run support I got was definitely needed. But the defense made every single play they had to make behind me.”

O’Toole homered off Johnson in the first, then doubled and scored in the third, but Johnson gave up only one run the rest of the way.

Kalita (4-2), who had given up only two earned runs in his previous 19 innings, took the loss despite giving up only five hits in 4 2/3 innings. The Titans had only eight hits in the game, but five were for extra bases.