Junior southpaw Ricky Romero took a no-hitter into the eighth inning before
it was broken up by the lead-off hitter Brian Lapin as No. 3 Cal State
Fullerton defeated Fresno State 12-1 in a non-conference match-up at Goodwin
Field Saturday night.
Fullerton improves to 3-1 overall while Fresno
state falls to 1-6 on the year.
Romero dazzled the crowd of 1,390 with seven innings of no-hit ball striking
out seven Bulldogs (including five of the first six of the game) along
the way. He retired 14 of the first 15, surrendering a walk to leadoff
hitter Christian Vitters before catching him stealing three pitches later.
After Lapin’s hit in the eighth, Romero walked the next batter sending
Head Coach George Horton out to the mound to get him. Romero left to a
standing ovation.
The Titans led all the way scoring first on an RBI single by Justin Turner
in the first inning. Fullerton then proceeded to score in every inning
but the fourth and fifth innings.
Brett Pill smashed his first home run of the season, a two run shot, scoring
Danny Dorn who singled one batter earlier to make the score 4-0 in the
third inning.
In a wild sixth inning, with Fresno State’s catcher Chris Huston
being charged with three pass balls, the Titans scored three unearned
runs getting only a leadoff hit by Bobby Andrews in the inning.
Ronnie Prettyman capped the Titan offense in their last at-bat with his
first home run of the year off reliever Chuck Fick, The home run scored
Danny Dorn and Brett Pill who both singled before him.
Lauren Gagnier, in relief of Romero retired the side in the eighth, giving
way to Adam Jorgenson in the ninth. Jorgenson allowed Fresno’s only
run to cross the plate as pinch-hitter Will Thomas hit a chopper to first
scoring Vitters in the top of the ninth inning.
Prettyman finished the night going 4-for-5 with three RBI and two runs
scored and Blake Davis, Pill and Dorn all collected a pair of hits.
Cal State Fullerton and Fresno State will conclude the rain-shortened
weekend series tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. at Goodwin Field.
