Fullerton’s Ace Is Eager for Face-Off

Another big postseason game. Another first-round draft pick pitching for the other team. And as far as Wes Roemer is concerned, nothing could be finer.

Roemer, the Cal State Fullerton ace, is expected to pitch the Titans’ opener in the College World Series on Friday in Omaha against North Carolina. On the mound for the Tar Heels will be junior left-hander Andrew Miller, selected by the Detroit Tigers with the sixth overall pick in last week’s first-year player draft.

“I’ve had a couple of buddies face him” in the Cape Cod League, “and they said he’s one of the best pitchers they’ve faced and we’re probably not going to score too many runs off him,” Roemer said of Miller. “I don’t doubt that we can beat him, but it’s probably going to be one of the toughest games we’ve played all year.”

Miller (13-2) gave up two unearned runs in seven innings during North Carolina’s 11-5 victory over Alabama in the Tar Heels’ super-regional opener. He struck out 11, the fifth time this season he has reached double digits in strikeouts.

Roemer said he would relish the challenge of opposing another standout pitcher after having faced Missouri’s Max Scherzer, the No. 11 overall selection by the Arizona Diamondbacks, during Fullerton’s 7-1 victory in its super-regional opener Friday.

Though he had to pitch out of jams in nearly every inning, Roemer (13-1) gave up only one run in eight innings.

North Carolina (50-13) will be making its fourth trip to Omaha and first since 1989, and Fullerton (48-13) will be making its 14th appearance and third in four years. The Titans feature five starting players in the field who played a prominent role in the team’s 2004 title run.

“When it comes down to it, it’s going to be the team that plays the best because we’re both playing on the road,” said Roemer, a sophomore right-hander.

The Tar Heels and Titans are each 5-0 in NCAA postseason play. Fullerton thrashed Missouri by a combined score of 16-2, but North Carolina needed late slugging from first baseman Chad Flack, who hit a three-run homer in the eighth and a two-out, two-run walk-off homer in the ninth Saturday for a come-from-behind 8-7 victory over Alabama.