Titans Rally for 4-3 Win over Long Beach State May 16, 2003 – Fullerton, Calif.
Box Score
Richie Burgos doubled in the go-ahead run in the bottom of the eighth
inning as fourth-ranked Cal State Fullerton came from behind to beat No.
3 Long Beach State in a Big West Conference game in front of 2,923 at
Goodwin Field Friday night.
The Titans, who improved to 42-12 overall and 14-5 in Big West play, remain
in contention for their fourth Big West title in the past five years,
though they must win the final two games of the series. Long Beach fell
to 36-15 overall and 15-4 in conference.
Titan relief ace Chad Cordero, who worked a pair of innings, was denied
a chance to set the school's career saves record when he allowed a game-tying
double in the eighth, but he earned the win to improve to 3-1. Bo Ashabraner
took the loss to fall to 1-3.
The Titans appeared on the fast track to break a 3-3 tie in the bottom
of the eighth when Shane Costa legged out a triple with one out. But Costa
was cut down at home on a grounder to third by Kyle Boyer. Boyer stole
second and scored when Burgos lined a double off of 49er second baseman
Chuck Sindlinger's glove.
Cordero allowed a leadoff double to Brad Davis in the top of the ninth
and Josh Buhagiar succesfully bunted him over, but Cordero induced a ground
out from pinch-hitter Chris Hanson and got Todd Jennings to fly out to
right for the final out.
The Titans, who stranded 14 runners on the night, wasted several opportunites
against All-American Abe Alvarez. But it took just one pitch after Alvarez
departed in the seventh for the Titans to finally cash in. With two outs
and a pair of runners on, David Fischer drilled Ashabraner's first pitch
over the center field wall for a three-run homer -- his first of the season
and the Titans' first in three weeks.
But Long Beach left fielder John Bowker doubled in a run off Cordero --
snapping Cordero's 23-inning scoreless steak -- in the top of the eighth
to tie the game, 3-3. It marked the first run allowed by Cordero since
March 16.
Though neither figured in the decision, Fullerton's Jason Windsor and
Alvarez both pitched well enough to win. Alvarez allowed base runners
in every inning, though he worked out of jams time and time again. Windsor
allowed just a pair of runs -- one earned -- on six hits in seven innings.
Jennings had an eighth-inning single to extend his hitting streak to 21
games. Costa and Kurt Suzuki each had three hits for the Titans.
Fullerton will send Ryan Schreppel to the mound Saturday against Jered
Weaver in a 6 p.m. game.
