May 17, 2005

Box Score

(Fullerton, CA) - Reigning National Champions and No. 1 ranked Cal State Fullerton needed 13 innings to defeat visiting San Diego 5-4 Tuesday night at Goodwin Field. Cal State Fullerton (38-12) third baseman Ronnie Prettyman reached on an error to lead off the Titan half of the 13th inning and later scored when catcher John Curtis hit a game-winning double into centerfield off USD reliever Matt Falk. Despite the season-ending loss, San Diego (30-27-1) finishes its 2005 campaign having reached the 30-win plateau for the sixth consecutive season.

Torero freshman Justin Snyder went 2-for-4, doubling and scoring in San Diego's three-run third inning. Keoni Ruth also hit safely and scored in the USD third to help the Toreros stake an early lead.

Spanning the five innings of work turned in by USD senior starter Sean Warlop, Cal State Fullerton scored three runs on eight hits. Titan first baseman Brett Pill (3-for-5) had a pair of RBI singles off Warlop, the first coming in the Fullerton third inning and the second capping off a two-run Titan fifth.

USD took a brief 4-3 lead in the top of the seventh when sophomore Shane Buschini (1-for-5) hit a first-pitch single into right field that scored Snyder from third.

With Torero sophomore Josh Butler working in relief of Warlop and lefty Justin Blaine in the bottom of the seventh, CS Fullerton used a leadoff double and another run-scoring single by Pill to even the game at 4-4.

Cal State Fullerton used nine different pitchers Tuesday with freshman Jared Clark (1-1) eventually earning the win after keeping San Diego off the scoreboard in the top of the 13th.

Despite throwing three scoreless innings in the game's later stages it was junior right-hander Matt Falk (3-5) surrendering an unearned run in the bottom of the 13th to become the pitcher of record for USD. CS Fullerton catcher John Curtis doubled in Ronnie Prettyman, who had began the Titan 13th by reaching on an error, ending the game and the Toreros season.