Brett Pill was 4-for-5 with a double and triple, but fourth-ranked Cal
State Fullerton was routed, 16-3, by No. 6 Stanford in the season opener
at Sunken Diamond Friday night.
Stanford (1-0) was the beneficiary of 10 walks issued by Titan pitchers,
including seven in a six-run first inning (the Titans did not allow more
than five runs in an inning in all of 2003). Titan starter Ryan Schreppel
(0-1) walked the first four batters of the game to force in a run and
then hit Jed Lowrie to force in a second run.
Schreppel lasted just a third of an inning, allowing six earned runs on
on five walks and just one hit -- a bases-clearing triple by third baseman
Jonny Ash.
Fullerton (0-1) countered with a pair of runs in the top of the second
on an RBI-triple by Pill and a run-scoring single by Neil Walton, but
the Titans left runners on second and third base, two of the eight runners
they left in scoring position on the night.
After scoring eight runs in the first two innings on just one hit, Stanford
broke out its bats in the fifth inning. First baseman John Mayberry Jr.
blasted a two-run homer to left field off Scott Sarver (4.0 innings, six
runs, five walks) and Chris Carter belted a three-run opposite field homer
off Vinnie Pestano (3.2 innings, three hits, four runs).
With the game already out of hand, the Titans added a run in the seventh
on Bobby Andrews' single through the left side of the Cardinal infield.
Andrews had hits in his final three at-bats and also drew a walk. In all,
the Titans actually outhit Stanford, 13-10.
Stanford starter Mark Romanzcuk (1-0), the Collegiate Baseball national
freshman of the year last season, was not especially sharp (5.0 innings,
seven hits), but earned the win.
Saturday's game will feature another pair of sophomore starting pitchers
when Titan lefty Ricky Romero duels Stanford righty Matt Manship. First
pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
