May 26, 2006

Box Score

Highlights

Long Beach, Calif. - The Titans, behind another solid Wes Roemer outing, earned sole possession of their third-consecutive Big West Conference championship, with a 2-0 win over heated rival Long Beach State Friday night in the opening game of the final weekend series at Blair Field.

The Titans earned their 15th consecutive postseason berth and will make their 28th regional appearance in the programs 32-year history, by winning the conference title outright. The Titans improve to 41-13, 16-3, while the 49ers fall to 29-25, 12-7.

Fullerton's Friday night starter, Roemer scattered just six hits, striking out six en route to his second complete-game shutout of the season and his career. The righty used just over 100 pitches, and at one point set down nine 49ers in a row to improve to 11-1 on the year.

Cal State Fullerton got on the board early as Blake Davis reached on a single off Long Beach starter Andrew Carpenter, then advanced all the way to third on a wild pitch that that had room to roll in Blair Field's spacious foul territory.

Two pitches later, Davis scored on Carpenter's second wild pitch to Brett Pill giving the Titans the first inning, 1-0 lead. That would be all the Titans would need to hand Carpenter the loss, dropping his season record to 7-4.

Fullerton got one again in the top half of the sixth inning thanks to a David Copper, bases-loaded sacrifice fly that drove in Justin Turner from third base. Both Turner and Davis led off the frame with singles, Brett Pill then sacrificed them to second and third. Danny Dorn was next to the plate and took a Carpenter fastball to the back, to load the bases for the freshman Cooper. The RBI proved to be insurance as Roemer and the perfect Titan defense held the Long Beach offense at bay.

Davis led all players with a pair of hits, and Cooper's sac-fly was the only RBI of the game.

The two teams will pair up again tomorrow evening at 6:30 p.m. in the second game of the series, with 11-game winner Lauren Gagnier on the hill for the Titans while the 49ers are still undecided.

Regional sites will be announced Sunday at 12:30 p.m. on ESPN news, with the 64-team field being announced Monday morning at 9:30 on ESPN and ncaasports.com.

Titan Notes: Volunteer Assistant Coach Ted Silva got a standing ovation from the dugout as he returned from the pitcher's mound in the second inning of tonight's game. It was the first time Silva has made a trip to the mound in his two seasons as pitching coach, could it be to get the former Titan standout some much needed TV time (Friday night's ballgame was televised by CSTV)... Shortstop Blake Davis, who has gone hitless in just six games this season, singled in his first at bat, one game removed from snapping his 21-game hitting streak at USC on May 24...Former Titan pitcher Wes Littleton was called up to the Major Leagues earlier today, but did not get into the Texas Ranger's game against the Oakland A's at Ameriquest Field in Arlington. Texas won 5-3. Former Golden Spikes Award Winners Mark Kotsay (1-for-4 for the A's) and Phil Nevin (0-for-5 for the Rangers) also played in that game.