Ricky Romero hurled his second career shutout, struck out 10 and walked
none as 14th-ranked Cal State Fullerton blanked Houston, 11-0, in a nonconference
game at Cougar Field Saturday night.
The Titans improved to 5-6 with the shutout, their first since a 3-0 win
over Cal State Northridge on April 12, 2003. Houston fell to 2-4. Fullerton's
pitching staff has not allowed a run since a three-run homer in the first
inning of the series, a span of 16 consecutive innings.
Romero, who threw a three-hit shutout against Pacific last season, allowed
nine hits, but they were all singles and only two Cougars reached third
base.
He took the mound for the first time with a 3-0 lead, thanks to four consecutive
singles by Titan hitters to open the game. Ronnie Prettyman, Justin Turner
and Danny Dorn all singled to load the bases for Kurt Suzuki, who singled
through the left side of the infield for a 2-0 lead. Sergio Pedroza lifted
a sac fly to center field for a 3-0 lead.
The Titans also had their first three batters reach in the second inning
(when they scored one runs), third inning (two runs) and fifth inning
(three runs).
Every starter except Neil Walton had at least one hit. Suzuki was 3-for-4
to lift his team-leading average to .541 and had a career-tying four RBI
for the second time this season. Pedroza and Justin Turner each had a
pair of hits and P.J. Pilittere was 1-for-4 to extend his hitting streak
to nine games.
Fullerton will try for its first road series win of the season on Sunday
at 1 p.m. CST (11 a.m. Greenlee time).
