McArthur and Pedroza Lift Titans in TV Thriller 4-3 May 3, 2005– Fullerton, Calif.
Box Score
Sergio Pedroza’s two run home run in the bottom of the sixth and
Evan McArthur’s RBI single in the bottom of the 11th lifted No.
1 Cal State Fullerton (34-11) over San Diego State (18-28) 4-3 in a nationally
televised non-conference match-up at Goodwin Field Tuesday night.
Brett Pill led off the Titan-half of the 11th with a single to left off
of Dan Bruckart and was moved to second in typical Cal State Fullerton
fashion with a sacrifice by Danny Dorn. Evan McArthur in a rare start
at designated hitter connected for his biggest hit of the season with
a single to left scoring Pill from second for the win. Bruckart fell to
0-2 on the season, while Vinne Pestano (3-2) notched his third win of
the season in relief for the Titans.
San Diego State struck first off of Titan starting pitcher Jared Clark
who struggled to find the strike zone early. The Aztecs used a walk and
three singles in the top of the first giving their starter Ben Coon a
3-0 lead to work with. Clark settled down and finished the second inning
before giving way to Adam Jorgenson, the second of four Titan arms.
Ronnie Prettyman inched the Titans closer with an RBI-single in the fifth
driving in Danny Dorn from second base. That would pull the Titans within
two and set up the first big hit of the night.
In the sixth, after a single by Trevor Mortensen, Segio Pedroza blasted
a Coon offering over the wall in right tying the game at three runs a
piece. Pedroza’s twelfth home run got Clark off the hook and gave
the Titans’ flat offense a much needed lift.
Jorgenson held the Aztec offense at bay for four innings allowing only
one hit over four innings of work picking up a lone strikeout without
a walk. After a quiet 1.2 innngs by Lauren Gagnier in relief of Jorgenson,
Vinnie Pestano came on for his longest outing of the year. Pestano shut
down the Aztecs for 3.1 innings allowing just a leadoff double by Jake
McLintock in the top of the 11th while striking out one to pick up the
victory.
The nationally televised game was the first for the Titans this season,
as ESPN 2 covered the game for the first time in the regular season. The
Titans are 3-1 in televised games this season, also picking up victories
in Tulane, and Davis, and dropping their only game in Los Angeles versus
USC.
The Titans head to San Luis Obispo this weekend to face conference rival
Cal Poly in a three-game series at Baggett Stadium. Friday and Saturday
night will begin at 6 p.m. while Sunday’s first pitch is set for
1 p.m.
