Titans Taking Full Advantage of Temecula Connection

The Cal State Fullerton baseball team will have five freshmen from Temecula Valley High on the roster when the Titans begin fall practice Oct. 12, now that catcher Luke Watson has joined the team as a walk-on.

Fullerton earlier recruited pitcher Darric Merrell, outfielder Kyle Boyer and infielders David Garcia and Cole Hilt from the school. “All of them were interested in our program, and we felt they were all good prospects,” said Dave Serrano, the Titan assistant coach in charge of recruiting. “They had a very good team there last season.”

Temecula Valley finished 26-4, losing to Long Beach Wilson in the semifinals of the Southern Section playoffs.

Reed Johnson, who played for the Titans in 1997-99, also played at Temecula Valley. And Temecula Valley Coach Rich Emard was one of Serrano’s coaches at Cerritos High.

Fullerton’s recruiting class is rated the best in the nation by Collegiate Baseball.

BAD TIMING

The UC Irvine women’s volleyball team hosts top-ranked USC (11-0) tonight at Crawford Hall without setter Jamie Pilbeam, who broke several bones in her left hand while diving for a ball late in a four-game loss at Idaho Friday. Pilbeam, who may require surgery, was ranked No. 4 in the nation in assists, averaging 14.34 a game.

Anteater Coach Charlie Brande said sophomore opposite Chanda McLeod, formerly of Marina High and Arkansas, or senior back-row specialist Teri Zartman, a former setter at Manhattan Beach Mira Costa, are most likely to step into the role.

The Anteaters (6-5, 1-3 in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation) have lost sophomore outside hitter Lauren Nichols for the season after she had surgery last week to alleviate pain and swelling in her knee. Nichols hasn’t played this season and plans to redshirt.

USC has two former All-Orange County players in its starting rotation: Middle blocker April Ross (Newport Harbor) and setter Tracy Lindquist (Ocean View). The Trojans have not dropped a game in any match this season.

Cal State Fullerton (4-11, 0-4) visits Irvine at 7 p.m. Saturday.

RUNNING HOT

The Concordia women’s cross-country team showed last weekend why it is ranked No. 1 in the NAIA, tying Central Washington for top honors at the Cal Poly Pomona Pre-National Invitational, which featured most of the top NCAA Division II teams.

The Eagles placed four runners, all seniors, in the top 11: Tricia Mattson finished third, Mindy Brown was fifth, Rachel Lafady (23:24) was eighth and Christy Ide was 11th.

The Concordia men’s team placed sixth. Mike Avellan (28th) was the top finisher for Concordia.

The Eagles will compete against many of the same Division II opponents at the UC San Diego Invitational Oct. 14.

NOTEWORTHY

Fred Williams of Woodland Hills Taft, the 2000 City Section champion in the 100 and 200 meters, has signed to run for the track team at Cal State Fullerton. He is a partial qualifier, which means he can practice with the team but can’t compete in meets in the coming season. . . . Former Hope International women’s basketball Coach Kelly Martinez has become athletic director at the school. She replaces Glenn Snyder, now the school’s dean of enrollment management. Lee Green has taken over as women’s basketball coach. . . . The UC Irvine women’s soccer team will host Boise State in the first night game at Anteater Stadium at 7 p.m. Friday. . . . Cypress (13-0, 3-0) and Orange Coast (8-3-1, 3-0) square off at 3 p.m. today at OCC to decide first place in the Orange Empire Conference women’s soccer race. Two-time defending state champion Cypress has outscored its opponents, 23-1, this season and has a 65-game unbeaten streak. . . . OCC punter Eddie Johnson, formerly of Newport Harbor High, averaged 46.4 yards an attempt, including a 54-yarder, in a 26-25 upset of Mt. San Antonio, the state’s second-ranked team. . . . Saddleback’s upset No. 15 Long Beach last week is the only other football win this season for county schools, which are a combined 2-18.

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Staff writer Paul McLeod contributed to this report.