Titans Stay Unbeaten By Winning Big Moments

Titans defeat Pepperdine 6-3 (Wednesday)

By Don Hudson

MALIBU - The Cal State Fullerton Titans won the battle of 4-0 teams Wednesday afternoon and defeated the Pepperdine Waves, 6-3, at Eddy D. Field Stadium in Malibu.

(Photo Gallery)

As is often the case with baseball games between competitively matched teams, it is the team that wins more of the game’s “big moments” that usually wins the game.  Such was the case in this game – both teams played well and were competitive for 54 outs, but the Titans captured advantage in certain key situations that decided the outcome.  Since I have to pack my bags and hit the gym before going to bed early to catch my flight to DFW, we’ll skip some of the play-by-play and describe some of the game’s pivotal moments.

J.D. Davis

Big Moment #1:  In the top of the first inning, the first two Titans were retired before Matt Chapman walked to bring the red-hot RBI Machine, J.D. Davis, to the plate – déjà vu to the game on Sunday in Bakersfield.  Pepperdine’s lefty pitcher, Matt Maurer, caught Chapman breaking to attempt a stolen base.  Maurer threw to first base, but the first-baseman’s throw to second was offline and in the dirt, allowing Chapman to steal the base, move into scoring position and keep the inning alive.  Davis made it hurt when he plated Chapman with the game’s first run on a single up the middle.  After a wild pitch moved Davis to second and Michael Lorenzen was hit by a pitch, Chad Wallach went to the opposite field and delivered a two-run double that made it 3-0.  Without the big moment – the errant throw that allowed Chapman to steal the base and keep the inning alive - the Waves come off the field scoreless instead of looking up at a crooked number for the Titans.

Big Moment #2:  After the Titans had scored a run in the second inning on singles by Austin Diemer and Richy Pedroza, followed by a wild pitch, the Titans held a 4-0 lead that felt like 8-0.  Titans’ pitcher Davis was breezing along, but ran into trouble in the bottom of the third when the Waves loaded the bases on a hit-batsman, an infield single and another hit-batsman.  With two outs, Davis induced a groundball to second-baseman Matt Orloff, who fielded the ball cleanly but couldn’t record an out at any base and all of a sudden the momentum appeared ready to shift to the Waves, as the go-ahead run came to the plate.  But Davis rose to the occasion and – the big moment – struck out the #5 hitter in the Pepperdine line-up, catcher Nate Johnson, to end the threat.

Big Moment #3: Freshman right-hander Kyle Murray pitched out of a jam in the fourth inning, stranding two runners with an inning-ending strikeout – the big moment.  He also picked up a couple outs the following inning.  It was nice to see him bounce back from a rough debut Saturday against Nebraska – he pitched very well during scrimmage season and could be a big contributor in middle relief.

Big Moment #4:  With the Titans clinging to a 4-1 lead in the top of the fifth, Wallach delivered a two-out RBI single to rightfield to score Carlos Lopez, who had singled, stole second (his fourth pilfer of the season) and advanced on an infield single by Davis.

Bryan Conant

Big Moment #5: Freshman left-hander Bryan Conant entered the game in the bottom of the fifth with two outs and a runner in scoring position.  His first pitch was a ball but he then struck out the left-handed hitting Johnson on his next three pitches – the big moment.

Big Moment #6:  With Pepperdine trailing 5-2 and refusing to go away, Willie Kuhl entered the game in the bottom of the seventh with one out and one on and – the big moment – he got the #3 and #4 Pepperdine hitters on a foul pop to catcher Wallach and a strikeout.

Big Moment #7:  After the Waves had scored in the eighth to make the score 5-3 with runners on second and third with two outs, lefty Tyler Peitzmeier came in and retired the only batter he faced to leave the potential tying run in scoring position – the big moment.

Big Moment #8:  The Titans had tacked on an insurance run in the top of the ninth when Pedroza and Lopez were hit by pitches and Chapman delivered an RBI single to drive in Pedroza.  Lorenzen was brought in to try for his second save of the season, facing the #2-3-4 hitters for Pepperdine.  After he got the first out on a grounder to shortstop Pedroza, Lorenzen struck out the next two hitters on filthy breaking balls after getting ahead in the count with the heat.

Wallach paced the 11-hit attack with three hits, including two doubles and three RBI.  Pedroza and Davis also had two hits apiece as the Titans extended their season-opening winning streak to five games.  Davis pitched three innings and earned his first win of the season in a “designated staff” day.


So what did we learn today?

The setting for the baseball stadium at Pepperdine is magnificent, with the palm trees and ocean view beyond the outfield fence.  It is as nice a ballpark as you can imagine. … I just wish the traffic getting there and back wasn’t so brutal.  It took less time to get home from Bakersfield on Sunday than from Malibu on Wednesday. ... I love L.A.

Chad Wallach

I also loved that Wallach had one double near the rightfield line and another in the leftfield corner.  He showed impressive power throughout the off-season scrimmages, with much of it to centerfield and in the gaps.  If he can continue to use the whole field with power, he will make the line-up even more daunting to opposing pitchers.  It’s nice to have the team’s leading hitter (.438) sitting in the six-hole in the line-up, protecting Lorenzen, who is protecting Davis – pick your poison!

Stranding inherited runners is also a very nice thing – a common thread with several of this game’s “big moments.”  It helps prevent crooked numbers going up for the opposing teams – the way the Titans are capable of hitting, they should win a lot of games when the other team’s line score includes mostly zeros and a few ones.

The five season-opening wins have been impressive and certainly enjoyable to watch.  The three home wins were nice and two road wins against previously undefeated teams even better.  But we’ll find out a lot more this weekend against a hungry TCU squad, who was swept last weekend at Ole Miss.  (It’s a new dawn in Mississippi – their baseball team swept a very talented TCU team and later in the week the state ratified the thirteenth amendment, abolishing slavery.)

It will be very interesting to see how the Titans’ hitters do against TCU’s formidable pitching staff, especially when the pitches are being called by Kirk Saarloos, who knows his opponent quite intimately.

It’s supposed to be around 31 degrees at game time on Friday – dress warm and I hope to see you there.

Titans Ride Out Late Waves

By Don Hudson

Pepperdine Waves 010 001 040 - 6 11 3

Cal State Fullerton 000 010 43X - 8 11 1

Dude, this was one strange game.

The official time of game was 2:59 – which is pretty normal. But we were in the seventh inning by 7:30 (game started at 6 o’clock), and I was thinking I might make it home in time to catch a “Law and Order” rerun on Channel 56. That’s when things got out of control: the last two innings took nearly as long to play as the first six-and-a-half, as a 2-1 pitching duel turned into an offensive brawl and a pitching and defense meltdown, as the Titans twice overcame one-run deficits and beat the Pepperdine Waves, 8-6.

By the time we stood up for that time-honored tradition, the fans had been treated to a fast-paced, well-pitched game by Koby Gauna of the Titans and Pepperdine’s crafty lefty, Matt Maurer. To that point, they had each allowed one earned run on five hits, the difference in the game being an unearned run allowed by the Titans. After “Take Me Out to the Ballgame,” we saw 11 runs, 11 hits, 3 errors, 3 blown saves, walks, hit-batsmen, wild pitches, passed balls, missed cutoff men and throws to the wrong base – the incongruence of the two juxtaposed hour-and-a-half game segments was shocking.

Pepperdine got on the board first in the second inning with an unearned run. Tony Cooper led off with a bouncer up the middle that Titans’ shortstop Matt Chapman ranged far to his left and made a nice stop, but he had to make an off-balance throw to first, which sailed into the dugout (hit and an error). He went to third on a single up the middle – didn’t dare run on Michael Lorenzen, especially with no outs – and scored on a sacrifice fly. Gauna picked a runner off first to end the inning.

2010 Season Opening Weekend Preview

By FullertonBaseballFan

It’s time for another year of Titan Baseball with the potential for a return visit to Omaha in the last year of venerable Rosenblatt Stadium. Fullerton is ranked in the top five in every major poll on the strength of a pitching staff that returns all three weekend starters and several position players that are pre-season All Americans. Instead of starting the season with a weekend series this year the Titans get things going against three different opponents on opening weekend. Here is a preview for each of Fullerton’s opponents.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Friday – Oregon Ducks

Overall Record – 14-42
Conference Record – 4-23 (10th place)
RPI/ISR – 235/186
Predicted conf finish – 10th place

2009 Summary and 2010 Preview

Oregon fielded their first baseball team in 28 years in 2009 and they chose a very familiar face to Fullerton fans to lead the effort with former Titan head coach George Horton. They rode the wave of emotion of having a new program to a solid 9-9 start but once the Pac 10 season started things headed south for the Ducks and they only went 5-33 the rest of the way and ended the year with a thirteen game losing streak. Oregon had a solid Fri SP (7th round pick Erik Stavert) and a solid closer (Drew Gagnier, brother of former Fullerton pitcher Lauren Gagnier) but didn’t have much pitching depth after those two and had a staff ERA of 5.07 and struggled in conference games with a 5.95 ERA. To say the Ducks struggled offensively would be an understatement because they were the lowest scoring team in the country at 2.8 RPG. Oregon hit .227 as a team, which was the 2nd worst batting average in the country, and hit .201 in Pac 10 games. Oregon returns most of their starters except for Stavert and OF Caleb Tomassini so there should be improvement due to the experience they have, another recruiting class with some talented players and the coaching of George Horton.

Offense

Batting Average – .227 (NCAA ranking – 287 out of 288)
Runs Per Game – 2.8 (288)
Home Runs – 16 (280)
Stolen Bases – 60 (132)
Slugging Percentage – .304 (286)
Walks – 134 (277)
HBP’s – 45 (215)
Sac Bunts – 49 (26)

Lineup

C – JR Mitch Karraker (LH – .216 BA/.275 OBP/.281 SLG, 1 HR-18 RBI-1 SB) and Soph Paul Eshelman (.247 in 77 AB’s) were the catchers last season and figure to share time again this year.

1B/DH – Soph Darrell Hunter (RH – .175 in 63 AB’s) and JR Andrew Schmidt (Both – .212 in 85 AB’s) got most of the starts at 1B last season. JC transfer Stephen Kaupang (6’5”, 235 lbs) is expected to be in this mix to provide some power to a lineup that desperately needs it.

2B/3B – Soph Danny Pulfer (RH – .240/.340/.257, 0-15-4) and FR Jack Marder (RH) will be the starters at these two spots. Pulfer is a scrappy player but it shows how poor Oregon’s offense was that he usually hit in the middle of the lineup despite having only two extra base hits all season. Pulfer led team with 11 SAC bunts. Marder was the leading hitter in the California Collegiate League last summer. SR Josh Hogan (RH - .219/.270/.234, 0-5-3) is the backup infielder.

SS – Soph KC Serna (RH – .228/.281/.317, 3-19-9) led the team in HR and RBI.

CF – SR Curtis Raulinaitis (LH – .291/.354/.369, 0-12-9) was the only player who hit above .260 last season.

LF/RF – SR Jett Hart (RH – .207/.248/.333, 2-10-10) and Soph Antony Kreitz (LH – .258/.327/.461, 2-10-0) are the other two OF’s with the most experience. Hart was 2nd on the team in SB’s. FR Steven Packard and FR Darryl Jones (both are LH hitters) look likely to also get playing time in the OF.

Defense

Fielding % .961 (159) – 85 errors. Oregon fielded an inexperienced team and defense was another area in which they struggled. Serna has potential at SS and should cut down on his errors as should Pulfer. Raulinaitis has good range in CF.

Stolen Base Attempts – 44-69. Baserunners were 32-46 against Karraker.

WP’s/PB’s Allowed – 65. Oregon was below average at blocking pitches.

Pitching

ERA – 5.07 (74)
BA – .271
HR – 46
H’s/9 IP – 9.28 (31)
BB’s/9 IP – 4.45 (210)
K’s/9 IP – 6.7 (162)

Starting Pitchers

FRI – Soph Tyler Anderson (LHP – 2-9, 6.26 ERA, 15 starts, 82 IP, 98 H, 39 BB, 66 K, .296 BA, 9 HR, 7 HBP, 8 WP). Sat SP last season. “Crafty lefty”. Started out well in non-conf when he didn’t allow any HR’s but struggled in Pac 10 games and went 1-7 with a 7.77 ERA and allowed 9 HR’s. 9-13 SB’s. Picked off four runners so runners will have to be careful.

SAT – SR Justin LaTempa (RHP – 1 IP). Hard thrower with a fastball that gets into the mid 90’s when healthy, which has been an issue. He has had an interesting journey thru college, starting out in 2006 pitching at Irvine for Dave Serrano before transferring to Golden West College, undergoing arm surgery and ending up at Oregon. He has a chance to be drafted in the first 10 rounds with a good SR season.

SUN – FR Christian Jones (LHP). One of the better FR in the country and was expected to be drafted in the first 5-6 rounds last June but had a strong commitment to Oregon and ended up not being drafted. Fastball sits in the upper 80’s.

Midweek – Soph Madison Boer (RHP – 1-8, 6.97 ERA, 17 apps, 10 starts, 62 IP, 67 H, 31 BB, 37 K, .289 BA, 4 HR, 6 HBP, 5 WP). Sunday SP most of last season. Ground ball pitcher who struggled putting hitters away.

Relief Pitchers

Closer – JR Drew Gagnier (RHP – 1-0, 2.70 ERA, 23 apps, 7 saves, 30 IP, 14 H, 25 BB, 30 K, .137 BA, 1 HR, 3 HBP, 5 WP). Hard thrower with a fastball that gets into the mid 90’s who had control issues last season. 14th round draft pick last June who returned to school and should be drafted in the first 10 rounds this year.

Soph Chris Garrison (RHP – 0-3, 4.45 ERA, 12 apps, 3 starts, 32 IP, 32 H, 19 BB, 15 K, .274 BA, 4 HR, 1 HBP, 2 WP).
Soph Alex Keudell (RHP – 0-6, 5.15 ERA, 15 apps, 6 starts, 44 IP, 40 H, 18 BB, 24 K, .252 BA, 6 HR, 6 HBP, 2 WP).
Soph Scott McGough (RHP – 1-0, 5.21 ERA, 18 apps, 19 IP, 24 H, 5 BB, 15 K, .312 BA, 2 HR, 1 HBP, 4 WP).
SR Ryan Fleckenstein (LHP – 1-1, 5.40 ERA, 28 apps, 22 IP, 22 H, 14 BB, 11 K, .272 BA, 2 HR, 1 HBP, 2 WP).
SR Zach Thornton (RHP – 0-1, 6.17 ERA, 15 apps, 23 IP, 25 H, 15 BB, 16 K, .287 BA, 2 HR, 3 HBP, 3 WP).
SR Geoff Nicholls (RHP – 1-2, 6.63 ERA, 20 apps, 19 IP, 28 H, 10 BB, 18 K, .322 BA, 2 HR, 3 HBP, 3 WP).

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Saturday – Pepperdine Waves

Overall Record – 31-23
Conference Record – 12-9 (3rd place - tied)
RPI/ISR – 139/71
Predicted conf finish – 2nd

2009 Summary and 2010 Preview

Pepperdine went into last season with high expectations after playing in six straight regionals and returned an experienced roster. The Waves got off to a 16-6 start against a soft schedule before crashing during a seven game losing streak that included losing their first five WCC games. Pepperdine played better down the stretch in an attempt to get back in the conf race but couldn’t dig their way out of their deep hole and ended up finishing tied for 3rd and not qualifying for a regional for the first time since 2002. The Waves struggled with their hitting last season and scored three runs or less 20 times and were in the bottom half of the country in most hitting categories. Pepperdine’s hitting was their undoing because their team ERA was in the top 40 nationally and they had the second best fielding % in the country. The Waves return five starting position players and their two best SP’s but need to replace their middle infield, most of their outfield and most of their bullpen.

Offense

Park Factor according to Boyd’s World – 81 (decreases offense by 19%).
Batting Average – .284 (223)
Runs Per Game – 6.0 (218)
Home Runs – 43 (177)
Stolen Bases – 46 (209)
Slugging Percentage – .408 (230)
Walks – 167 (235)
HBP’s – 66 (88)
Sac Bunts – 36 (89)

Lineup

SR C Trent Diedrich (RH – .346/.447/.423, 0-9-0 in 76 AB’s) and Soph Nate Johnson (LH – .242/.327/.371, 5-24-1) provide an experienced tandem behind the plate. Diedrich was the starter in ’08 (.291-2-32) and last year before breaking his foot in early April. Diedrich is much better at getting on base while Johnson has more power.

SR 1B Ryan Heroy (RH – .290/.409/.494, 7-28-2) is a big guy who is in his third year as a starter and one of the main power threats (2nd on team in HR’s last season). He has a big swing and led the team with 47 K’s last year.

2B/SS – Pepperdine is breaking in a new middle infield after losing both of their starters and is looking at a couple of FR to take over with 2B Joe Sever and SS Zachary Vincej (both RH hitters). Soph Miles Silverstein (RH – .273 in 77 AB’s) will be the backup in the middle infield.

SR 3B Colin Rooney (RH – .327/.412/.503, 6-31-0) is a solid run producer who was 2nd on the team in SLG % and 3rd in HR’s and RBI’s.

Soph CF Brian Humphries (LH – .305/.336/.400, 2-38-8) is a pre-season all-conf selection. Good speed and a productive hitter who was 2nd on the team in RBI’s.

LF/RF and DH – Soph Aaron Gates (LH – .309/.377/.404, 2-8-0) will be in the mix in the OF when he’s not pitching and at DH when he’s pitching. Lots of players will be getting their first shots at extensive playing time at the corner OF spots including Soph Ryan Van Amburg (RH – .260 in 77 AB’s), Soph Tyler Brubaker (RH – .211 in 19 AB’s), JC transfer Floyd Given (LH) and FR Mike Hole (RH).

Defense

Fielding % .982 (2) – 36 errors. Pepperdine was one of the best fielding teams in the country but lost their 2B and SS who combined made only seven errors. Rooney made only two errors at 3B. Humphries is very good in CF.

Stolen Base Attempts – 46-59 against Diedrich and Johnson.

WP’s/PB’s Allowed – 74. One of the few areas that Pepperdine was below average in defensively was at blocking pitches.

Pitching

ERA – 4.52 (32)
BA – .240
HR – 30
H’s/9 IP – 7.82 (2)
BB’s/9 IP – 4.25 (184)
K’s/9 IP – 9.1 (14)

Starting Pitchers

FRI – Redshirt Soph Cole Cook (RHP – 7-3, 3.69 ERA, 16 apps, 8 starts, 1 CG, 83 IP, 57 H, 20 BB, 79 K, .195 BA, 4 HR, 4 HBP, 7 WP) is a big guy who throws hard (fastball into the mid 90’s) and has a good breaking ball. Good control for a hard thrower. 7th in the country in H/9 IP last year at 6.18. Baserunners were 7-10 on SB attempts. FR All-American last season and pre-season all conf selection. He has the potential to be drafted in the first few rounds with a good season.

SAT – JR Matt Bywater (LHP – 6-1, 3.57 ERA, 12 apps, 10 starts, 63 IP, 50 H, 24 BB, 66 K, .217 BA, 6 HR, 3 HBP, 5 WP). Fastball in the upper 80s with a good changeup. Baserunners were 3-7 on SB attempts and he picked off two runners. 1st team all conf last season and a pre-season all conf selection.

SUN – SR Robert D*ckmann (LHP – 2008 stats, 3-5, 5.44 ERA, 14 starts, 67 IP, 88 H, 18 BB, 37 K, .332 BA, 9 HR, 4 HBP, 2 WP). Injured in his first start last year and was a medical redshirt. Crafty LHP with solid changeup and curveball.

Midweek – Soph Aaron Gates (LHP – 3-3, 6.14 ERA, 17 apps, 11 starts, 44 IP, 45 H, 30 BB, 43 K, .280 BA, 6 HR, 7 HBP, 2 WP). Gates will be the midweek SP and focus on hitting on the weekends.

Relief Pitchers

JR Kevin Inman (RHP – 10 IP) and Soph Brad Jesernig (RHP – 12 IP) are the only relievers returning so the roles for pitchers in the bullpen are in a state of flux. The pitchers who looked the best during the fall were FR RHP’s Cory Jones and Daniel Patrick and FR LHP’s Alex Najera and Jordan Luvisi.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Sunday – Long Beach State Dirtbags

Overall Record – 25-29
Conference Record – 11-13 (5th place - tied)
RPI/ISR – 117/73
Predicted conf finish – 4th

2009 Summary and 2010 Preview

Long Beach has been used to competing for Big West championships since Dave Snow arrived on campus for the 1989 season. The Dirtbags entered last year with an inexperienced team after sharing the conf title with Fullerton in 2008 and had their first losing season since 1988. Long Beach got off to a slow start and lost their first five series, rebounded in the middle of the season to win five of the next six series but struggled down the stretch and lost nine of their last ten games. They struggled both offensively, ranking in the bottom half of the country in most offensive categories except for SB’s, and on the mound where they had a very uncharacteristic 5.18 team ERA. Expectations for the Dirtbags are higher this season and they are expected to contend for a spot in a regional this year with a much more experienced team. Long Beach has seven starting position players and two weekend starting pitchers returning and a recruiting class heavy on pitchers to fill out the bullpen, which is the only inexperienced area on the team. They also welcome back pitching coach Troy Buckley, who was instrumental in the development of many high draft picks and the team annually being among the national leaders in ERA.

Offense

Park Factor according to Boyd’s World – 84 (decreases offense by 16%).
Batting Average – .289 (197)
Runs Per Game – 6.0 (220)
Home Runs – 24 (263)
Stolen Bases – 118 (12)
Slugging Percentage – .394 (255)
Walks – 176 (225)
HBP’s – 72 (59)
Sac Bunts – 61 (9)

Lineup

C – SR Kellen Hoime (RH – .252/.338/.291, 0-19-5) split time during non-conf games but started 16 of the last 18 games. Went 0-5 in two games against Fullerton.

1B – SR Steve Tinoco (RH – .343/.379/.543, 5-30-5) was 2nd on the team in HR’s and SLG %. Went 2-12 with an HR last season against Fullerton. Predicted to contend for all conf honors.

2B – Soph Derek Legg (Both – .304/.382/.376, 1-20-11) started last year as a FR. Handles the bat well and has good speed. Went 2-13 last season against Fullerton.

SS – JR Devin Lohman (RH – .307/.409/.432, 4-36-14) is projected to be selected in the first 10 rounds of the draft. Was 2nd on the team in RBI’s and hit in the middle of the lineup. 2nd in the conf last year with 48 K’s. Went 2-11 last season against Fullerton.

3B/DH – Soph Kirk Singer (RH – .317 in 41 AB’s) started to get more playing time late last season. Projected to be one of the better defensive players at 3B on the west coast. Soph Joey Terdoslavich (Both – .293-5-25-2 in 2008) sat out last season after transferring from Miami. He will be in the lineup at either 3B or DH and will provide some much needed power to the lineup and is expected to contend for all conf honors.

LF – JR Jonathon Jones (RH – .307/.388/.375, 1-23-15) has good speed and was the starting CF in 2008. Jones was 5-9 last season against Fullerton. Other OF’s who could also see playing time in LF or at DH are SR Tre Dennis (LH – .232/.348/.326, 1-13-10) and Soph Brennan Metzger (RH – .258/.389/.337, 1-9-11), who was 2nd on the team in SAC’s.

CF – JR Jordan Casas (LH – .308/.335/.362, 0-25-22) was the leadoff hitter last season and was 2nd in the conf in SB’s. He went 2-13 against Fullerton last year while playing with a broken finger. He is expected to contend for all conf honors.

RF – SR TJ Mittelstaedt (LH – .316/.416/.551, 6-46-6) led the team in HR’s, RBI’s, BB’s, OBP, 2B’s, 3B’s and SLG last season and was one of the few bright spots in a miserable season for Long Beach. He is 10-30 with 4 RBI’s in his career against Fullerton, including 3-11 last season when all three hits were triples.

Defense

Fielding % .966 (88) – 68 errors. Struggled early before fielding better during the conf season. Potential to have a good defensive infield with improvement by Lohman and Legg. Very good defensive outfield.

Stolen Base Attempts – 30-47 against Hoime (15-26 in conf games). He also picked off four runners.

WP’s/PB’s Allowed – 42. Solid at blocking pitches.

Pitching

ERA – 5.18 (95)
BA – .303
HR – 40
H’s/9 IP – 10.82 (154)
BB’s/9 IP – 3.10 (27)
K’s/9 IP – 6.3 (202)

Starting Pitchers

Fri SP – JR Jake Thompson (RHP – 4-7, 5.61 ERA, 14 starts, 85 IP, 103 H, 13 BB, 42 K, .302 BA, 9 HR, 10 HBP, 5 WP) has a low 90’s fastball and very good control but he doesn’t miss too many bats and had trouble keeping the ball down. He does a good job of holding runners (4-8 SB’s). He has allowed 12 R on 19 H in 11 IP in his two starts against Fullerton in his career.

Sat SP – Soph Andrew Gagnon (RHP – 3-7, 6.32 ERA, 13 starts, 73 IP, 96 H, 23 BB, 44 K, .327 BA, 5 HR, 11 HBP, 9 WP) is a talented pitcher with a low 90’s fastball who was drafted in the 10th round out of HS. He has had trouble being consistent with his command. Baserunners were 8-12 on SB attempts against him. Allowed 6 R in 2 2/3 IP in his start against Fullerton last season.

Sun SP – Projected to be JC transfer Branden Pinder (RHP). The Sun SP could be rotated among several pitchers until somebody takes control of this spot.

Relief Pitchers

Long Beach lost most of their relievers from last season so the bullpen is up for grabs. The only experienced relievers are SR Jason Markovitz (LHP – 1-1, 4.42 ERA, 18 apps, 20 IP, 21 H, 9 BB, 15 K, .304 BA, 1 HR, 3 HBP, 0 WP), SR David Brown (RHP – 2-0, 6.30 ERA, 15 apps, 20 IP, 26 H, 12 BB, 10 K, .329 BA, 3 HR, 3 HBP, 0 WP) and Soph Josh Corrales (RHP – 1-2, 6.64 ERA, 1 save, 17 apps, 20 IP, 27 H, 10 BB, 11 K, .333 BA, 1 HR, 2 HBP, 2 WP). Pitchers who figure to contend for the Sun SP, midweek SP and innings in the bullpen are JC transfers Troy Watson, Cris Trout and Kenny Arnerich (all RHP's), redshirt FR Ryan Donohue (LHP) and FR Jordan Mejia, Eddie Magallon, Nate Underwood (all RHP's).

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Outlook

Fullerton goes into this weekend looking to play like a team on a mission. The Titans had a good season but were inconsistent in the middle of the year and often didn’t come up big when they needed to, especially in Omaha. Each of the teams that Fullerton is playing this weekend figure to be much better this season than they were last year. But, the Titans look like they are better than all three of the teams they are playing this weekend. Fullerton should win at least two of the three games and it wouldn’t be a major surprise if Fullerton won all three games to start the season.