Ricky Romero struck out nine and retired the last 16 batters he faced
as the No. 2 Cal State Fullerton Titans downed the Pacific Tigers 8-5
in a Big West Conference match-up Friday night at Goodwin Field.
Romero improved to 7-3 on the year and notched his first complete game
of 2005. But it wasn’t all smooth sailing as he allowed five Tiger
runs to cross home on six hits in his first four innings of work.
After Romero surrendering an unearned run in the top of the second inning,
the Tigers got to him in the fourth by batting around. Romero was without
his “good stuff” early Friday night, walking two and allowing
four hits including a leadoff home run to Brandon Gottier. He settled
down and found his pitches for the final 5.1 innings, striking out 5 Pacific
hitters in that span. Romero fanned co-Big West Conference home run leader
Justin Baum four times in four trips to the plate stranding three Tigers
on base.
The Titans jumped out early, capitalizing on four Tiger miscues, putting
starter Luke Massetti in a hole early. In the first inning with runners
at second and third, Brett Pill picked up an RBI on a sacrifice fly to
right scoring Justin Turner from second. On the same play, the ball got
away from right fielder Jerin Harper allowing Sergio Pedroza to score
all the way from second base giving the Titans the 2-0 advantage.
The titans tagged the eventual loser Luke Massetti (4-5) for four runs
in the bottom half of the fourth as three Titans picked up run-scoring
hits to extend the Titan lead to 6-1. Massetti allowed six runs (three
earned) on seven total hits, walked two and struck out 3 over seven innings
of work.
The Titans jumped out on Massetti with no outs and Justin Turner on first
via the Tigers’ fourth error, Sergio Pedroza doubled to right scoring
Turner for the first run, with Danny Dorn following with an RBI single
to center to drive in Pedroza. After a strikeout and a walk, Bobby Andrews
doubled into the right field corner driving in both Dorn and Blake Davis.
The Tigers used their four-run rally in the fourth to pull back within
one, with Romero and the Titans never relinquishing the lead.
John Curtis and Ronny Prettyman both knocked bases-loaded, RBI-singles
to give Fullerton some insurance in the bottom of the eighth, giving Romero
the opportunity to hop the third base chalk once again to pick up his
complete game of the year.
Dorn, Curtis and Prettyman emerged at the offensive leaders as each of
them contributed two hits and an RBI.
Fullerton’s Bobby Andrews and Pacific’s Adam Ching both led
all players by collecting two RBI.
Both teams return to action tomorrow night with Wes Roemer going for the
Titans and Jason Harr for the Tigers. Game time is 6 pm. At Goodwin Field.
