Collegiate Baseball Preseason Poll Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Cal State Fullerton was ranked No. 17 in Collegiate Baseball's Fabulous 40 NCAA Division I preseason baseball poll presented by Big League Chew bubble gum, the publication announced Monday.
The Titans were one of four programs from the Big West Conference to make it on the list. Defending conference champion Cal Poly (No. 13), UC Santa Barbara (No. 16) and UC Irvine (No. 39) were the other conference selections in the poll.
Defending national champion Vanderbilt headlined the poll with the top spot, earning 494 total points, two ahead of No. 2 Texas Christian. Virginia, LSU and Oklahoma State, which hosted the Titans in the 2014 NCAA Regionals, round out the top five.
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.
The Titans are coming off the 40th consecutive winning season and 30-win season in the program's NCAA Division I history. Fullerton advanced to its 23rd consecutive NCAA Tournament in 2014.
After having seven players selected in the 2014 Major League Baseball First-Year Player draft, star pitchers Thomas Eshelman and Justin Garza headline the returners to the team for the 2015 season. Collegiate Baseball named both pitchers 2015 Louisville Slugger Preseason All Americans on Friday.
Eshelman has led the nation in walks allowed-per-nine innings in his first two seasons with Cal State Fullerton, including setting a national record with a 0.23 mark as a freshman.
Garza recorded the fourth no-hitter in Cal State Fullerton history in his sophomore season, holding CSUN without a hit on May 23, 2014. He walked three and struck out 12, matching his career high. After two seasons, Garza currently ranks sixth in the Titans career record book in fewest walks allowed per nine innings (1.49) and is tied for eighth with a 5.0 strikeout-to-walk ratio. His 2.49 career ERA also currently ranks eighth while his .224 opponent's batting average ranks 10th in the record book.
During the summer, both pitchers were selected to the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team, becoming the 24th and 25th Titans to represent Cal State Fullerton on the team dating back to 1987. It was also the sixth time multiple Titans have been named to the squad.
Joining Eshelman, Garza and the rest of the returners will be a recruiting class that was ranked No. 10 by Collegiate Baseball. It will feature five players that were selected in the 2014 MLB Draft (Tristan Hildebrandt, Connor Seabold, Jordan Hand, Chris Hudgins and John Gavin) along with 2014 signees and summer baseball standouts Chad Bible and Scott Hurst.
In 2015, 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.