Cal State Fullerton junior left-hander Scott Sarver tossed his first career
complete game and senior infielder P.J. Pilittere drove in a career-high
five RBI as the Titans forced a second regional championship game with
an 15-1 victory over Pepperdine on Sunday afternoon at Goodwin Field.
Cal State Fullerton improved to 39-21 overall on the season and 3-1 in
regional play. Pepperdine fell to 30-31 overall and 2-1 in the regional.
Sarver (2-2), who had not pitched since May 11 at UCLA and was making
his first start on the year, came up big for the thin Fullerton pitching
corps, allowing just one run on six hits, walking one and striking out
three to earn his second victory of the season. It was the third complete
game by a Titan pitcher in four regional contests this season.
Waves starter Brandon Boesch (4-7) lasted just 3 1/3 innings, allowing
six runs on four hits, walking a pair and hitting three batters in the
loss.
After Pepperdine's David Uribes drew first blood for the Waves with a
one-out solo shot to left in the third, the Titans offense was more than
up for the task of coming back.
Fullerton broke things wide open in the fourth, sending 11 batters to
the plate and putting up six runs in the frame as the Titans got Sarver
all the offense he would need.
Suzuki had two hits in the inning, the latter a two-run single with the
bases loaded, and Pilittere had the first of his two bases-clearing doubles
on the day to key the comeback.
Ronnie Prettyman added another run in the fifth on an RBI fielder's choice
and the Titans continued to pour it on in the seventh, loading the bases
with no one out and putting up four runs in the frame, highlighted by
a three-run double by Pilittere.
Then in the eighth, Suzuki (No. 14) and pinch-hitter Brett Pill (No. 2)
each smacked home runs, Pill's a two-run shot, and Prettyman added a run
scoring double to cap the scoring.
Suzuki finished the game 3-for-4 with three RBI and Pilittere also finished
with three hits on the day. Eight of the nine Titan starters had at least
one hit on the day.
Six different players had hits on the day for Pepperdine.
