ESPN was quick to hype the 2004 College World Series championship as a match-up between the Master and the Apprentice. The master, Augie Garrido and his Texas Longhorns would be facing his one-time apprentice, George Horton and the Cal State Fullerton Titans. The winner of the series would become the national champion.
Horton had played for Garrido for two seasons (1975-76) at Cal State Fullerton and had served with Garrido as an assistant coach for six years prior to his replacing Garrido as head coach of the Titans in 1997 when Garrido chose to go to Texas for their top spot.
Garrido had won national championships at Cal State Fullerton in 1979, 1984 and 1995, and at Texas in 2002. Horton, in his short tenure at the helm of the Titans had been to the CWS in 1999, 2001 and 2003, but had never won.
To get to Omaha, the Titans had finished the regular season at 36-20, including 19-2 in Big West play. Hosting a Regional and Super Regional, the Titans had to get past Minnesota, Arizona State, Pepperdine and eventually Tulane to reach the College World Series.
In Omaha, Fullerton had to defeat South Carolina twice, and Miami in order to face the Longhorns in the best-of-three finale.
Ricky Romero got the start in game #1. He pitched 6-2/3's innings, giving up eight hits as the Titans trailed 4-3. The Titans exploded for three runs in the 7th inning, and the combined bullpen of Vinnie Pestano, Ryan Schreppel and Mike Martinez shut the door on Texas, giving the Titans a 6-4 win.
In the game, Felipe Garcia had four hits and three RBI, and Danny Dorn had two hits and two RBI. Justin Turner had two hits and scored twice. The Titans now needed one more win to become national champions.
Game #2 saw Titan ace Jason Windsor on the hill. Windsor was nothing short of masterful, striking out 10 Longhorns and going the distance for Fullerton in their hard-fought 3-2 win. Kurt Suzuki and Brett Pill had an RBI. Bobby Andrews had two hits and scored a run, and Ronnie Prettyman and Brandon Tripp scored runs.
A fly ball to right field was snagged by Bobby Andrews in right field ending the game, and the Titans were the 2004 NCAA Baseball champions, and winners of their fourth national championship. To date, only four schools have more baseball national championships.
Jason Windsor was named the CWS Most Outstanding Player, and Ricky Romero and Felipe Garcia were named to the CWS All-Tournament team. Fullerton's Kurt Suzuki and Jason Windsor were named All-Americans, and Clark Hardman was named to the All-American Freshman team. Six Titans were selected in the 2004 Major League draft.
Many Titan fans still talk about the team being honored with a parade through downtown Fullerton. They also remember it as the College World Series where the Apprentice bested the Master.