Transfers Rejuvenated as Titans

The grass on Cal State Fullerton’s baseball field really does look greener to Steve Woodward and Jake Epstein.

A year ago, Woodward batted .240 with two home runs and 14 runs batted in for Texas, and Longhorn Coach Augie Garrido told him to not expect as much playing time this season.

Epstein batted .296 with seven home runs for Missouri, but those numbers were off the pace of his sophomore season, when he batted .319 with 15 home runs. And Epstein, who played at Mt. Carmel High in San Diego, was ready to move closer to home and escape the sometimes-chilly spring weather in the Midwest.

It is rare that senior transfers make big contributions for top programs, but Woodward and Epstein have been among Fullerton’s most productive players.

Woodward leads the Big West Conference with a .443 batting average, and Epstein leads the sixth-ranked Titans with seven home runs and 30 RBIs in 44 at-bats. Epstein didn’t make the team’s season-opening trip to Stanford, then was used primarily against left-handed pitchers until a series last weekend against Nevada.

Woodward said he had his bags packed and was within a day of leaving to enroll at South Alabama when he heard from Fullerton.

“I was really pumped about being able to come back to California,” said Woodward, who played at Fresno College and Clovis Buchanan High.

Fullerton Coach George Horton said the Titans learned Woodward was available from conversations with Texas coaches. But the Titans had no need for an outfielder until late in the summer, when Spencer Oborn unexpectedly signed with the Chicago White Sox.

“The tough part was being able to get him enrolled in school in such a short time after everything with Spencer happened so late,” Horton said.

Epstein said he decided after last season he wasn’t going to return to Missouri, and settled on Fullerton last July.

“I came here to get out of the cold and to be on a team that would compete to go to Omaha,” Epstein said.

Epstein, whose father, Mike, hit 130 homers in nine major league seasons, said he also considered transferring to Arkansas, primarily because the coaches there assured him a spot in the lineup.

“But the Missouri coaches didn’t want to release me to go there because they recruit a lot against Arkansas,” Epstein said. “But they agreed to give me my release for Fullerton.”

Epstein, who is 6-5 and 230 pounds, didn’t show the power Fullerton coaches hoped he would in preseason practice.

“He had a miserable January, and that’s the reason he didn’t make the first road trip,” Horton said. “But he handled the negative aspects of that about as well as anyone could. His response was perfect. He went right back to work taking extra batting practice, and he was ready in a big way when the opportunity came.”

Epstein ripped a grand slam and a three-run homer in Fullerton’s 17-5 victory over UCLA on March 7, then blasted a three-run, game-winning homer in the bottom of the ninth March 19 that gave the Titans a 9-6 victory and a sweep of a series against Pacific.

Epstein, who had been platooned at times with Aaron Rifkin at first base, produced as the designated hitter last weekend, hitting home runs in three consecutive at-bats in the first game of the series at Nevada. He had six hits and eight RBIs in 15 at-bats during the Nevada series, and went one for four with two RBIs Tuesday against Oklahoma. He is batting .409.

“I probably was more skeptical of him being an everyday player for us than anyone on the coaching staff because of his [lack of] running speed,” Horton said. “But he’s produced, and has shown us at this point that he deserves to be in the lineup.”

Woodward wasn’t in the lineup for Fullerton’s season opener against Stanford, and Horton said he had some doubt Woodward was going to earn a spot in the outfield.

“But I got the opportunity to play, and that’s what I needed,” Woodward said. “Once I got in the lineup, I was confident I could stay there. I started hitting, and that helped my confidence. Confidence means a lot to me.”

Woodward went on a 13-game hitting streak that ended on the road against California, but he has had at least one hit in 21 of his last 22 games.

“Woodward has become our most complete and most consistent player on offense,” Horton said. “Being a switch hitter is a big plus for him, and he’s been hitting well from both sides. He’s above-average as a runner, and he’s a great bunter.”

Horton said he is pleased both players have been able to contribute.

“You always worry about senior transfers coming into a program and not achieving what they want,” Horton said. “Hopefully, they’ll do that this season. They both have a great attitude, have worked hard and have mixed in well with the team’s personality.”