Suzuki's Walk-Off Blast Gives Titans Series Win May 18, 2003 – Fullerton, Calif.
Box Score
Kurt Suzuki blasted a walk-off three run homer on a full-count offering
from Long Beach State closer Carlos Muniz with two outs in the ninth to
lead fourth-ranked Cal State Fullerton to a dramatic 9-7 win over No.
3 Long Beach State at Goodwin Field Sunday night.
The Titans wrapped up the regular season with a 43-13 overall record,
their second-best regular-season win total under seventh-year Coach George
Horton (they were 44-11 in 1999). Fullerton finished 15-6 in Big West
play, a game back of Long Beach State (37-16, 16-5), which clinched the
title on Saturday. Fullerton also improved to 26-2 at Goodwin Field, which
saw a three-game series record 8,728 fans shuffled in over the weekend.
Suzuki's three-run shot -- his third ninth-inning game-winning hit of
the year for the Titans -- capped a wild five-run ninth inning against
Muniz, who was among the national leaders with 11 saves coming in. The
rally stated with a one-out single by Shane Costa and Kyle Boyer followed
with a double to left field. P.J. Pilittere dribbled a grounder to third,
but third baseman Adam Heether couldn't handle it and then threw it away
as a pair of runs crossed the plate to narrow the 49ers' lead to a single
run. After an intentional walk to Richie Burgos, David Fischer struck
out for the second out, but then Suzuki worked a full count before lifting
his second home run off the screen above the left field wall.
Fullerton got to Long Beach starter Cesar Ramos for three runs in the
first and Dustin Miller made the lead stand until the 49ers scored once
in the sixth and then added a pair in the seventh to draw even. Long Beach
broke through for four runs off three different Titan pitchers in the
eighth to take a 7-3 lead. Jon Bowker and Troy Tulowitzki had back-to-back
RBI-doubles and Mike Hofius added an RBI-triple to the right-center field
gap.
The Titans' rally made a winner of Chad Cordero, who picked up second
win of the series and improved to 4-1 overall. Pilittere had a game-high
three hits and Long Beach's Todd Jennings was 1-for-5 to extend his hitting
streak to 23 games.
The Titans, who have handed the 49ers two of their three series losses
this season, will take next weekend off before opening NCAA play on May
30. Regional host sites will be announced on Sunday, May 25 and the 64-team
field will be unveiled the following day. The 49ers host Miami for a three-game
series beginning Thursday.
