2015 Louisville Slugger Preseason All-American Team (PDF)
FULLERTON, Calif. – Collegiate Baseball named Cal State Fullerton pitchers Thomas Eshelman and Justin Garza 2015 Louisville Slugger Preseason All-Americans, it was announced Friday.
Eshelman was selected as a Louisville Slugger First Team Preseason All-American while Garza earned a selection to the second team.
The Titans Friday-night starter since his freshman season, Eshelman returns to Fullerton for his junior season and has compiled a 20-6 record with a 1.69 ERA. He's tallied 182 strikeouts and just 11 walks in 32 starts and 239 and 1/3 innings pitched, tossing seven complete games including two shutouts.
As a sophomore, Eshelman went 8-3 with a 1.89 ERA and set a new career best with 99 strikeouts after fanning 83 batters as a freshman. He ranked first in the Big West and 10th in the nation with five complete games and posted a 0.87 WHIP, which placed him 12th overall in the nation. Eshelman also led the country with a 0.58 walks allowed per nine innings average along with a 12.38 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Eshelman pitched a 10-inning complete-game shutout on Apr. 25, a feat that garnered him four player-of-the-week honors. Eshelman was named one of the Louisville Slugger National Players of the Week by Collegiate Baseball and the National Pitcher of the Week by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA). The Carlsbad, Calif. native also received recognition from the NCAA as one of the top performers of the week and also received Big West Conference Pitcher of the Week honors.
Eshelman was named to the Baseball America College All-America Second Team in 2014, marking the second straight season Eshelman made the squad after receiving a First Team selection in 2013 as a freshman.
In addition, Eshelman was also named to the NCBWA All-America Third Team in 2014.
As for Garza, the Ontario, Calif. native has compiled a 17-4 record in his first two seasons with the Titans to go along with a 2.49 ERA. After posting a 12-0 record as a freshman, Garza battled injuries midway through his sophomore year and finished with a 5-4 record in 2014 with a 3.22 ERA. To date, Garza has only one loss when the Titans score runs as three of his losses in 2014 came by shutout.
On May 23, Garza became the fourth Cal State Fullerton pitcher to toss a no-hitter as he held CSUN without a base hit. Garza was the first Titans pitcher to accomplish the feat since 2001 when Kirk Saarloos no-hit Pacific in a 28-0 victory. Garza walked three and struck out 12, matching his career high. He also tossed his first career complete game in the process and was named the Big West Conference Pitcher of the Week.
Eshelman and Garza were two of the six players selected from the Big West Conference, with Eshelman being the only First-Team selection. Pitchers Casey Bloomquist (Cal Poly), Sam Moore (UC Irvine) and Dillon Tate (UC Santa Barbara) joined Garza on the second team and second baseman and reigning Big West Conference Player of the Year Mark Mathias (Cal Poly) rounded out the conference selections, earning a nod on the Third Team.
The Titans open the 2015 season on Feb. 13 when they head to the Clearwater Tournament hosted by South Florida. They will open up the weekend against South Florida followed by a game against Alabama State on Feb. 14 and then wrap up the tournament against Louisville on Feb. 15.
In addition, Titans fans will have the first opportunity to meet current and former Titans at the program's annual "Dinner With the Titans" held on Saturday, Jan. 10. The alumni game is then scheduled for 1 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 24 at Goodwin Field.
Overall, the Titans will host 26 home games and seven weekend series' at Goodwin Field and tickets are currently on sale.
--Single-Game Tickets starting at $8
Reserved Seat - $71 (Seven Friday Home Games)
Reserved Seat - $51 (Five Sunday Home Games)
--Reserved Season Seats - $210*
*Includes $185 tickets and a $25 donation. Reserved Season Seat Holders have postseason playoff priority and the first right of refusal of their seats.
Should the Titans host a Regional and/or Super Regional, season ticket holders have the first right of refusal to their seats, and have a pre sale for individual tickets for the postseason before tickets go on sale to the general public.