Titans Take Series Behind Sarver and Pestano 3-1 May 8, 2005 – San Luis Obispo,
Calif.
Box Score
Although being out-hit by the Mustangs for the third straight day, No.
1 Cal State Fullerton defeated Cal Poly 3-1 Sunday afternoon behind the
pitching of Scott Sarver and Vinnie Pestano as the Titans captured the
series two games to one at Baggett Stadium in San Luis Obispo.
Fullerton, one day removed form snapping their season-high nine-game winning
streak, got back on track improving their season record to 36-12 and a
conference-best 13-2 record in Big West play. Cal Poly falls to 31-16
and 9-3 in conference.
Scott Sarver (8-2) held the Mustang offense scoreless on just five hits
for seven innings of work before allowing a run and two additional singles
in the top of the eighth notching his eighth win of the year. After stranding
the bases loaded in the bottom of the first, Sarver didn’t allow
any Mustangs to reach second base until the sixth inning, facing just
the minimum number of hitters from the second to the fifth innings. Both
pitchers, Sarver and Cal Poly hurler Gary Daley induced five double plays
(three by Fullerton) helping their respective teams out of jams.
Daley lost his first game going seven innings and striking out four falling
to 5-1 on the season.
The stagnant Titan offense scraped three runs on five hits scoring once
in the third inning and two times in the sixth. John Curtis drove in the
third inning run with a single up the middle scoring Ronnie Prettyman
from second base, and Bret Pill singled home Blake Davis in the top of
the sixth to give the Titans a 2-0 lead. Danny Dorn then hit a ground
ball to first baseman Bret Berglund who’s throw hit Pill running
to second, allowing Sergio Pedroza to score all the way from second to
extend the Fullerton lead to 3-0.
Cal Poly scored its only run in its half of the eighth inning collecting
two straight hits off of Sarver who was then lifted with runners at first
and third for bullpen ace Vinnie Pestano. Pestano came on to retire the
first batter he saw, Jimmy Van Ostrand, getting him to fly out to Danny
Dorn in left scoring Brent Walker from third. He then got Kyle Blumenthal
to strike out looking and Josh Lansford to ground out to third to end
the Cal Poly threat. The Titans had a 7 pitch top of the ninth, before
letting Pestano go back out on the bump to strike out the side in the
ninth, notching his 10th save of the season.
Pestano finished the weeked going 3.2 innings allowing
just one hit striking out seven en route to two saves.
Blake Davis was the only offensive threat in the lineup for the Titans
hitting .500 on the weekend (6-for-12) including a 3-for-4 day on Sunday.Fullerton,
on a whole, hit just .174 over the weekend with the next best average
behind Davis being John Curtis' .200 average.
Mustang centerfielder Brandon Roberts led Cal Poly with two hits on the
afternoon.
Fullerton returns home for a midweek game at Goodwin Field versus Pepperdine
on Tuesday at 6 p.m before the 2004 team regroups for a trip to Washington
DC. The team will visit the White House and meet the President of the
United States celebrating their 2004 national championship during their
bye weekend.
