Costa and Littleton Earn Big West Weekly Honors Mar. 25, 2002– Fullerton, Calif.
Cal State Fullerton outfielder Shane Costa has been named the Big West
Conference Player of the Week while right-handed pitcher Wes Littleton
was tabbed co-Pitcher of the Week on Monday by the Irvine-based conference
office.
Costa, who also garnered the award on Feb. 19, went 8-for-12 (.667) and
led the team with five runs, five RBI and three extra-base hits over the
weekend as the Titans swept then-No. 17 Long Beach State. Costa hit for
the cycle on the weekend, drilling a double in the opener, a homer in
the second game and a triple in the finale.
After going 3-for-4 with an RBI and run in the opener, the sophomore out
of Visalia racked up his second career four-hit game on Saturday, hitting
a solo homer and drilling the game-winning two-run single with two outs
in the bottom of the eighth as Fullerton rallied for a 7-6 win.
He came back on Sunday to go 1-for-3 with a triple and a pair of runs
while also walking and laying down a sacrifice bunt. Costa, who led the
team with a .380 batting average as a freshman, is pacing the squad with
a .374 mark this season.
Littleton, who shares the award with Cal State Northridge's Bill Murphy,
pitched his first career shutout to lead the Titans to a 6-0 win over
the 49ers Friday night. It was the first time in 67 games -- a span dating
back to 1987 -- that Fullerton shut out the 49ers.
Littleton allowed just five hits and walked two while striking out six
in a 100-pitch effort. He seemed to get stronger near the end, retiring
the final five batters he faced and striking out the last two. Littleton
improved to 4-2 with the win and lowered his ERA to 1.44.
The Titans will open Big West Conference play with a home series against
Cal Poly, beginning Thursday night at 7 p.m.
