Miller Brews Near Shutout in Conference Opener Apr. 4, 2003 – Fullerton, Calif.
Box Score
Dustin Miller came one out away from a shutout and Danny Dorn and P.J.
Pilittere homered as second-ranked Cal State Fullerton opened Big West
Conference play with a 10-1 win over Pacific at Goodwin Field Friday night.
The Titans improved to 25-7 overall and 1-0 in conference play while the
Tigers fell to 19-13 and 0-1. Fullerton improved to 15-0 at Goodwin Field
to surpass the 1977 team for the best home start in the program's history.
Miller, who earned Co-Big West Conference Pitcher of the Week honors last
week, hurled his first complete game, scattering nine hits, striking out
nine and walking just one to improve to 6-1. His shutout bid was broken
up with two outs in the ninth when Pacific's Chase Headley hit a 3-2 changeup
over the right field wall. The Tigers went on to load the bases before
Miller induced a groundout by Nicholas Sekiya.
Pilittere, who was 3-for-4 to raise his average to .478, gave the Titans
a 1-0 lead when he hit the first pitch he saw from Matthew Pena (6-4)
over the left field wall for his second homer. Dorn followed with an infield
single and scored on a two-base fielding error by Tigers left fielder
Eric Elliot.
Dorn added a sac fly in a two-run third inning and blasted a three-run
homer, his first since Feb. 8, in the seventh to give Fullerton an 8-0
lead. Shane Costa's third double of the night drove in Justin Smyres in
the eighth and Pilittere's single that scooted by shortstop Jesse Kovacs
helped the Titans reach double figures in runs.
The Titans and Tigers will meet in the second game of the series on Saturday
at 6 p.m.
