Fullerton beats Minnesota to advance to regional final

Cal State Fullerton could not wait for another shot at Minnesota in an NCAA baseball regional at Goodwin Field.

Fourth-seeded Minnesota already had beaten the top-seeded Titans, upsetting Fullerton two days earlier in the opening game of the double-elimination regional.

A 7-2 victory Sunday night earned Fullerton a championship-game showdown against the Golden Gophers on Monday.

“They’re much more impressive than any four seed, probably, in the country,” Fullerton Coach Dave Serrano said Sunday afternoon after his team earned a rematch with Minnesota by eliminating New Mexico, 11-3. “But, oh well, we have to overcome that obstacle and we’ll do everything we can to do that.”

Nick Ramirez and Corey Jones, who hit home runs against New Mexico, also homered against Minnesota to help back the outstanding pitching of sophomore Colin O’Connell as Fullerton earned the rematch.

O’Connell, making only his fourth start, gave up lead-off singles in the first and second innings, but both runners were erased by double plays. O’Connell pitched seven shutout innings before Minnesota scored an unearned run in the eighth. He struck out nine.

Fullerton had advanced to Sunday’s nightcap, and saved its pitching in the process, with help from Titan right-hander Daniel Renken. The junior gave up three runs and eight hits in seven innings against New Mexico to improve to 12-2.

Renken’s performance allowed Serrano to turn to Raymond Hernandez for the final two innings, an unwelcome sign for opponents because Fullerton’s already formidable staff just got deeper. Hernandez, who was academically ineligible during the regular season, struck out three in two innings in his debut.

“It was like the baseball gods allowed us to get this lead to use him,” Serrano said. “I didn’t know what we were going to get. ... Now I have an answer.”

Corey Jones, shortstop Christian Colon and designated hitter Carlos Lopez each had three hits for the Titans (43-16).

Jacob Nelson had three hits, including a home run, for New Mexico (38-22).

gary.klein@latimes.com