Fullerton: It's official. Coach George Horton is NOT going to LSU.
the one big gem from the post-game news conference was the Fullerton skippers' unprovoked comment that he is not going to Baton Rouge to take the LSU job.
As I told a friend of mine (and an LSU alum), if I lost a strand of hair for every job George Horton has been rumored to be the front-runner for, I'd be completely bald.
Fullerton: J. C. Fields breaks up no-hitter, shutout (CSUF up 9-1)
Couple of nice rounds of applause for senior Justin Turner's last at-bat and when the No. 9 hitter for Missouri broke up Lauren Gagnier's no-hit attempt with a screamer over the left field wall. Nice hit
Senior Danny Dorn now gets the same treatment for what will be his last at-bat at Goodwin Field as well. He grounds out.
We go to the 9th with just the formalities left to go through. I'll post something from the press conference if anything interesting happens.
Fullerton just plated four runs in the 7th and Gagnier got the Tigers to go three-up/three-down once again. So with a 9-0 lead and the fans chanting "O-ma-ha! O-ma-ha!" the only thing left in question is wether or not the junior righty completes the no-hitter.
I'm also eyeing the billboard out in center field that says "1,544 miles to Omaha". The Titan players are about to go pound on that thing here in six more outs, hits or no-hits.
For those of you wondering, Kevin Costner never showed up tonight. Oh I see, Mr. Dances With Wolves, you come to last year's Super Regionals where Fullerton loses, but not to this one to see them win?! Fair weather fan.
Lauren Gagnier is still throwing a no-hitter for Fullerton. Right now it's CSUF 5-0 after six full innings.
But Fullerton did commit three errors in the inning and Mizzou had a runner advance to third on an overthrow of 1st base. But no harm, no foul as the Titan D extinguished the fire. (By the way Mrs. Pill, the Titans did NOT commit the three errors just because you left your seat for the inning. Superstitions be damned.)
Man! Whoever runs the music between innings really rules! Now they're playing AC-DC.
Fullerton: At the risk of getting fired from CSTV...
Somebody in the row I'm sitting in broke out a flask of hooch. I... must... resist... temp... tation.
Missouri loses two pop-ups in the Southern California smog, then scored Bryan Harris (an LSU transfer) on a safety squeeze play to go up 4-0 halfway through the 4th.
Arkansas transfer Brock Bond starts off the Missouri half of the inning.
Despite the myriad of Titan fans sitting around me that are just SURE Justin Turner tagged up legally from 3rd on Dorn's flyout, he was still called out. I had to tell some of these SoCal peeps that it looked painfully obvious Turner left at least a half-step early. I'm sure you guys watching it all TV saw it too. I am now fearing for my life from the angry fans I willingly chose to sit next to.
Still 3-zip Fullerton. Gagnier throwing well. Culp has settled down nicely as well.
Fullerton: Titans still up 3-0, but right now I'm wishing I was in Tuscaloosa
Samo-samo here. But my Gawd! I just heard about the end of that North Carolina-Alabama game. Good night nurse! That had to be one helluva finish. Congrats Coach Fox and the Heels. I wonder if the fans in Fullerton reeeeeealy wanna play UNC right now?
Fullerton: Fullerton doesn't wait around to score tonight
I have to admit, I'm sitting in the middle of a bunch of Fullerton fans tonight and I lost count of how many times I've heard "I hope they don't wait 'til the 6th inning to start scoring tonight." (referring to last night's early clampdown by Max Scherzer)
Well the Titans didn't. A two-run double by Danny Dorn and a one RBI single by Jared Clark put CSUF up 3-0 after a half-inning. Mizzou coming up to the plate.
Fullerton: Since everybody else is doing "about to start" entries, here's mine
Fullerton and Mizzou are 'bout to tip off. And the p.a. has already played The Ramones' "I wanna be sedated" which means this is already a great night.
Nathan Culp takes the mound for the Tigers and Lauren Gagnier hurls it for the Titans.
Oh, and unlike last year's Super Regional, no sign of No. 1 Fullerton fan Kevin Costner yet.
Titans replace Roemer with Ryan Paul for the last inning. Normally a spot where Vinnie Pestano would pitch, but he's out with an injury. Just for comparison, Roemer gave up more hits tonight (11) than he has in his entire Fullerton career, but he did strike out nine and stands to get his 13th win.
Mizzou has to be kicking itself over its early-game failure to put men across. The Tigers have gone 2-for-16 with men in scoring position.
Fullerton: This just in, the Ramones and Metallica made an appearance
As the game goes on, the music over the p.a. seems to get better. And there has yet to be a country song played. Yes.
Oh, Fullerton is now up 6-1 thanks to a two-run double by Justin Turner. We go into the 8th inning. Wes Roemer has thrown 103 pitches with no walks (duh!), one hit batsman and 9 hits.
Fullerton: As Keith Jackson would say, ole Mo' is wearing blue and orange.
Momentum is definitely on the side of the Titans as they have now raced out to a 3-1 lead. Frosh David Cooper slapped another near-home run, driving a double within two feet of a yard call. Then Brandon Tripp chased Scherzer for the night with an RBI single. After a pitching change, Cory Vanderhook then hit another RBI single.
It's now 4-1 Fullerton, which, in a game like this is pretty big.
CSUF finally figures out Max Scherzer enough to tie things up. Evan McArthur blasted a shot about two feet from a home run, then lead off man Justin Turner hit a two-out double to plate the Titans tying run.
By the way, have you guys seen the College World Series promo on ESPN this past week? The series of fast-cut highlight clips includes Turner's facial beaning he took as a freshman in '03. It still hurts to watch.
Through four innings, the Mizzou first round pick has gone 3-up, 3-down each time. Yep, dare I jinx things, he's got a perfect game going so far. Also, the Black and Gold appears to be playing with a lot of confidence.
Fullerton: Okay, I've already received three phone calls...
... asking me, "What the &%#$@ is going on?"
Let me answer this way- Missouri's good. And Wes Roemer is a little off, so far.
MU leads 1-0 after two and a half, but has six hits off the Fullerton fireballer, including lead off hits in all three Tiger at-bats. But Roemer was able to get out of a bases-loaded, no outs jam, giving the crowd some life.
Oh, Scherzer is supposedly hitting 95 on his fastball. Or is TV showing that on screen already?
Fullerton: Alright, who is that in Roemer's uniform?
Through two innings, Mizzou already has four hits (two doubles), a run and enticed a visit to the mound by George Horton. The Tiger's hits have been pretty solid too.
But keep in mind, vs. Fresno last weekend, Roemer gave up two runs in the 1st, got a visit to the mound and then slammed the door on the Dogs the rest of the way. Then again, Fresno didn't have Max Scherzer pitching with a lead either.
Oh, one more bad bit of news, Fullerton lost starting catcher John Curtis to academics before tonight's game.
