January 25, 2014
FULLERTON, Calif. - Sophomore Jake Jefferies went 4-for-4 with a double, a RBI single and a run scored and Justin Garza pitched five scoreless innings to lead the Titans to a 7-0 victory over the Alumni Saturday afternoon at Goodwin Field.
Jefferies got the Titans on the board early in the first inning when he poked the ball down the third-base line with men on first and second and two outs. Alumni third baseman Corey Jones (2007-08, 2010) charged the ball and then launched a throw over first base trying to get the speedy Jeffries, allowing Matt Chapman to score to give the Titans a 1-0 lead.
Garza and the Titans pitching staff did the rest. Garza earned his second straight Alumni-game victory as he allowed four hits and struck out four. Willie Kuhl, Tyler Peitzmeier and Koby Gauna combined to pitch four innings of scoreless relief, allowing two hits to go with four strikeouts.
The Titans nursed a one-run lead through six innings and dodged a couple of threats from the Alumni, whose best scoring chance came in the fourth inning. They had runners on first and third with two outs, but a botched double steal attempt by Dustin Garneau (2006-09) and Jones ended with Jones getting tagged out after a rundown between third and home.
The Titans added some insurance in the seventh as they led off the frame with a double from J.D. Davis. Jefferies followed with a double of his own and then freshman Niko Pacheco singled in Davis from third. Jefferies would score on an ensuing double-play ball.
The scoring continued from the Titans in the eighth innings as they plated four runs on four hits, capped off by a two-run double from Davis. He finished the day 2-for-3 with two RBI and a pair of runs scored.
Alumni pitcher Eddie Delzer (1983-84), the winning pitcher from the 1984 championship game, started his 17th consecutive Alumni game. He faced one batter, getting Titans leadoff hitter Austin Diemer with the old exploding ball trick. The fake ball combusted into dust as Diemer made contact with the second pitch of the game. Delzer then grabbed the real ball out of his back pocket and made throw to first base.
The Alumni then borrowed one of the Titans starting pitchers as Grahamm Wiest took the mound and pitched four solid innings. He allowed one unearned run on three hits and struck out three.
Carlos Lopez, the 2013 co-Big West Player of the Year and Senior CLASS Award winner, had a triple in three at-bats for the Alumni, which featured former Titans such as 2013 Big West Conference Defensive Player of the Year Richy Pedroza (2010-13), current San Francisco Giants prospect Gary Brown (2008-10), two-time BWC honoree Blake Davis (2004-06), and 2006 Collegiate Baseball National co-Player of the Year Wes Roemer (2005-07), who came into pitch in the eighth inning.
Cal State Fullerton's season opener is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 14 against Washington State at Goodwin Field for a 7 p.m. first pitch.