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Zahari
to the Rescue as Titans Win Big West Opener Apr. 6, 2001 – Fullerton, Calif. Charlie Zahari earned his first Division I victory in an emergency relief role and Robert Guzman went 2-for-3 with three RBI as the 18th-ranked Cal State Fullerton baseball team beat Pacific, 6-1, in the Big West Conference opener at Goodwin Field Friday night. The Titans, who have won six straight games and 12 of their last 14, improved to 20-10 overall and 1-0 in conference play. Pacific had its five-game winning streak snapped and fell to 19-16 and 0-1. Zahari (1-1) was called on in the first inning after Titan starter Jon Smith was able to throw just eight pitches before a recurring groin injury forced him to leave the game. Zahari threw a season-high 6.1 innings, allowing just one run – a fourth-inning home run by Richard Hackett – on six hits and a walk. Chad Cordero, who pitched the final 2.2 innings in relief of Charlie Zahari, earned his third save for the Titans. But the real pitching story, at least early on, was Pacific starter D.J. Houlton, who no-hit the Titans through the first five innings. In the sixth, however, he gave up three straight hits to open the inning. Shawn Norris blooped a single to left field, David Bacani singled through the right side and Guzman doubled in Norris to tie the game, 1-1. Jason Corapci’s sacrifice fly scored Bacani with the go-ahead run. Fullerton added four more in the seventh inning. Chris Stringfellow led off with a home run to right field. It was just the second homer of his three-year career – his first career home run (vs. Sacramento State on March 19, 1999) was also his first career hit. Guzman drove in two more runs with a single in the inning and Aaron Rifkin’s single to right field plated Bacani with the Titans’ sixth and final run. Fullerton will host Pacific in the second game of the three-game set on Saturday at 7 p.m. Box score
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