Sophomore Danny Dorn's two-run double keyed a three-run seventh inning
and the Titans' bullpen did not allow a hit over the final 2 1/3 innings
as No. 4 Cal State Fullerton upset No. 2 Texas in game 1 of the National
Championship Series on Saturday night at Rosenblatt Stadium.
Fullerton, which improved to 46-22 overall on
the season, now needs just one more victory to clinch its fourth National
Championship. The Longhorns fell to 58-14 overall and lost for the first
time in the 2004 College World Series (3-1). Cal State Fullerton and Texas
will meet in game two of the series on Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. central
time (12 p.m. PDT).
"We're elated to get this first game," Cal State Fullerton Head
Coach George Horton said. "It was like a heavyweight championship
bout. I feel worn out and I know these guys next to me feel that way...
I believe tonight's win for the Titans was about mentality. There were
a lot of subtle cat and mouse games. We know we have a lot of work to
do, but we'll keep our eye on the target."
Trailing by a run entering the seventh, Justin Turner and Clark Hardman
led off the Fullerton inning with back-to-back base hits against J. Brent
Cox (6-2), but the Longhorns brought in ace closer Huston Street to get
a pair of strikeouts against the Titans' 3-4 hitters.
That brought up Dorn, who laced a 2-2 pitch over the head and off the
wrist of left fielder Carson Kainer, scoring both runners for the 5-4
Fullerton lead. Dorn was followed by Felipe Garcia, who punched his fourth
hit of the game through the right side, driving home Dorn for the 6-4
lead.
"I have been struggling a little bit. I feel like I have been pressing,"
Dorn said. "When Suzuki went down, I just tried to pick up a teammate
that has picked me up all season."
That was all the Titans would need as Fullerton starter Ricky Romero (14-4)
and the bullpen allowed just one hit over the final three innings, and
Mike Martinez earned his second save by getting a strikeout and a fielder's
choice to end the game.
Romero allowed three earned runs on eight hits, walking two and striking
out eight in the victory. Then the bullpen took over as three relievers
(Vinnie Pestano, Ryan Schreppel, and Martinez) combined to strand four
Texas baserunners, including two in scoring position.
Cox suffered the loss for the Longhorns, allowing two runs on two hits
in just over an inning of work. Staff ace J.P. Howell got a no decision,
allowing three unearned runs on six hits in 5-plus innings.
Cal State Fullerton did not come out intimidated by the top-seeded Longhorns,
as the Titans took advantage of a pair of errors and got a clutch two-out
hit from the team's top hitter in the College World Series to take a quick
3-0 lead.
Sophomore Justin Turner led off the game with a single and moved to second
when Clark Hardman's attempted sacrifice was bobbled by the Longhorns'
first baseman. That brought up Kurt Suzuki, whose hard grounder to short
forced Hardman, but the throw from the second baseman trying to turn the
double play was thrown away, allowing Turner to score and make it 1-0.
After Suzuki stole third, senior P.J. Pilittere walked and stole second
on Danny Dorn's strikeout to put a pair in scoring position for Felipe
Garcia. With a full count on the scoreboard, Garcia then singled through
the right side, scoring both runners, and increasing Fullerton's advantage
to 3-0.
Texas finally broke through in the second thanks to an RBI single by Ryan
Russ, the third hit by the Longhorns in the inning, scoring J.D. Reininger
to cut the deficit to 3-1.
The Longhorns then rallied for three runs in the fifth as a single by
Johnston plated Texas' second run, but the throw by Bobby Andrews sailed
into the stands, allowing another run to come home and moving Johnston
to third.
Curtis Thigpen then followed with a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Johnston
with the go-ahead run and the 4-3 lead.
Texas escaped a jam in the sixth after the Titans had loaded the bases
with no outs thanks to a pair of lead-off singles and an error. Cox got
Neil Walton swinging on a disputed check swing and then induced Ronnie
Prettyman into the 1-2-3 double play to end the inning.
Fullerton was led at the plate by Garcia, who was 4-for-5 with three RBI.
In five College World Series games, Garcia is hitting .550 (11-for-20)
with seven RBI, and is hitting .471 with 18 RBI in the postseason. Turner
and Dorn also had two hits for the Titans.
Texas was led at the plate by J.D. Reininger and Michael Hollimon, who
had two hits apiece for the Longhorns.
EXTRA BASES: This weekend marks the first appearance
in the revamped NCAA Championship series for either team... This is the
first appearance in the national championship game/series for Fullerton
Head Coach George Horton in his eight seasons as a head coach... The last
time the Titans and Longhorns met in the College World Series came in
the 1984 Championship Game, a 3-1 Cal State Fullerton victory... the 26,604
in attendance is the second-largest crowd in College World Series history,
and marks the seventh-straight day an attendance record has been set...
