The Fans of Titan Baseball
When I was an incoming freshman back in the fall of 2014 my Titan teammates like Timmy Richards, Shane Stillwagon, and Thomas Eshelman taught me the significance of our fans and the impact they have for Cal State Fullerton Baseball. Throughout the last few years that fan influence is far more important than I ever thought.
The Fans:
Bill Flack who lives in Placentia has been a Titan season ticket holder since 2001. He moved to North Orange County and used to bring his son to the Titan games. He ventually decided to buy season tickets to support the program and to satisfy his quench for College Baseball.
He loves the program and he was at Tulane with us this year and has traveled a long way to support the Titans. He attended the opening series in Florida in 2012 to watch the Titans take on the Gators at McKethan Stadium. Bill only missed two home games last season and is always at our games supporting my teammates and I whenever he can. Bill told me his favorite memory was the National Championship game in 2004. Immediately after winning Bill bought 25 t-shirts hot off the press after the Titans had beat Texas 3-2.
He was giving t-shirts away to fans just as fast as the players were getting their own National Championship t-shirts. Bill recalls the best home game he ever saw was in 2015 as the Titans defeated Arizona State 3-2 in 14 innings in the second game of Regionals. The rivalry we have with Long Beach State is the opponent he most likes to defeat. Finally Bill lists Jason Windsor, Justin Turner and Michael Lorenzen as his top three all-time Titan greats. Thank you Bill Flack for your support of Titan Baseball we hope to keep it exciting for you the rest of this season!
Tom Makar and Mary Cupp have attended games at Goodwin Field for over 15 years. They sit over on the first base side of the diamond. They commute from Huntington Beach and were also in Tulane this year. Mary went to Law school at Tulane so she was happy we won the series, but I did notice she was wearing a Tulane hat for a few games. It's ok, we still love her. They have been to Omaha and Lincoln, Nebraska to support the Titans. Tom likes it the most when the Titans beat up on Pac-12 opponents. The USC and UCLA games are some of his favorites. The best memory for these fans was when the Titans beat Louisville in the 2015 Super Regionals to advance to the College World Series. Tom also was quick to note that beating Long Beach State in the 2017 Super Regionals was a wonderful series too... we agree. Those games had everything and were thrilling for the fans and us players too. Thank you to these two special people and friends and supporters of Titan baseball.
Spike and Gail Lackey are big fans of Titan baseball too via the Internet and in person. They are friends of my Grandpa Bob Twist and I always know when they are in the stands because Spikes yells out "hit it skillet." Not sure why I'm called skillet to him although I was a really skinny kid growing up, but at least I know when he's around.
This year at Santa Barbara it was refreshing to hear him yell out to me early in Colton's no hitter. It was even better later on as he and his wife got to join my family for dinner in Santa Barbara. Spike has a great memory of baseball statistics, old time players (especially the Los Angeles Dodgers) and love for the game. These two will travel anywhere at any time to support the Titans. Spike and Gail even went to Omaha to support me at the College World Series when I was 13 years old and playing travel ball. My Titan teammates and I are always in their thoughts win or lose. Thanks Spike and Gail for the friendship and the support of the Titans. Hopefully we can give you another excuse to go to Omaha soon.
In addition to the fans I wanted to provide insight and a big thank you to a few more behind the scene guys that make our lives as players better.
Brady Murrietta is our bat boy and the son of Director of Operations Jason Murrietta. Brady does a great job hustling to the foul balls, picking up the bats, and is an overall great young boy. He will be a great baseball player soon. He is 10 years old and plays baseball for GBG. He plays shortstop and is also a pitcher. His favorite player is Sahid Valenzuela and it's because he too wants to play shortstop for the Titans one day. Brady really enjoys the dugout life and the lessons he has learned. For a 10 year old he is very perceptive in that he watches intently how us players prepare and act during games. He even watches what the coaches are saying and teaching during the games. Brady has even started to carry things he has learned in the Titan dugout and on our field over to his games and this is a neat experience for him and as a 10-year old this is priceless. Brady hopes to play for the Titans someday and be drafted by the San Francisco Giants (hey Brady any draft team is ok, especially the Dodgers). Thank you Brady for all that you do for us players and the Titan Baseball program.
Derrick Fazendin is the Director of Athletics Communications at Cal State Fullerton. He is a University of Arizona alumnus but outside of that he bleeds Titan orange. Derrick is THE guy behind our website, Twitter, and Instagram pages and is constantly updating fans around the world on social media, on the internet, or in the stands on the good things going on with Titan baseball. His reach to our fans and the constant communication channels he has developed has now become the envy of many athletic programs in the NCAA. I know that a fan in Egypt, Orange County, or New Jersey doesn't have to wait or go far in obtaining the latest news, scores, and information on our team because of his focused passion for our program. I asked Derrick some pretty pointed questions since he is usually the one asking the questions.
Q: What's the best part of Cal State Fullerton baseball?
A: The best part to me is really being around the student-athletes. It's special to see how much hard work they put in on and off the field. Whether it's working tirelessly in practice or studying for a midterm in an airport, it's really rewarding for me to get to see all of that hard work pay off for them.
Q: Who is the best Interviewee?
A: That's a tough one. Jacob Pavletich is definitely up there because there's no question someone can ask that will rattle him, but in terms of funniest or most entertaining it's definitely Sahid Valenzuela. I don't ever think a smile ever leaves that guy's face.
Q: Favorite part about road games?
A: Probably just getting to travel to different places that I wouldn't normally have traveled to.
Q: Who has the nicest press box?
A: San Diego's for sure. Free Pizza is the key to my heart and that place had it all.
Thank you for your service to the Titan's Brady and Derrick.
Remember Go Titans!!!