June 3, 2008

Box Score | Final Regional Stats | Photo Gallery

FULLERTON, CA - Junior catcher Dustin Garneau doubled and drove in three runs, including the eventual game-winner on a bases-loaded walk in the fifth inning, while tournament Most Outstanding Player Brian Wilson earned his second win of the regional to help lift host and top-seeded Cal State Fullerton to a 5-4 victory over second-seeded UCLA and a berth into the super regional round in front of a season-high 3,012 fans at Goodwin Field on Monday night.

With the victory, the Titans (41-20 overall) advance to the super regional round for the sixth consecutive season, improving to 4-1 in postseason play. The Bruins finished their season at 33-27 overall, eliminated from the NCAA Tournament by Fullerton for the second consecutive season.

Fullerton will host Stanford in the best-of-three super regional round beginning on Friday (June 6) at Goodwin Field. Game times are set for 7:30 p.m. (PDT) on Friday, 4:30 p.m. (PDT) on Saturday, and 4 p.m. (PDT) on Sunday with games one and three to be shown on ESPN2 and game two televised on ESPN.

Wilson (3-2) making his second start of the regional on two days rest, pitched into the fifth inning on a designated staff day, allowing three runs on four hits, walking one and striking out three in the win.

Freshman Jason Dovel then followed with two innings of one-hit relief, striking out a pair, and was followed by senior Jeff Kaplan, who earned the first save of his career by allowing one run on four hits in three innings, striking out three.

Rob Rasmussen (0-2) suffered the loss for UCLA, allowing three runs on six hits in three innings as the first of three pitchers on night for the Bruins.

Back-to-back RBI singles in the second inning by Christian Colon and Erik Komatsu gave Fullerton the early 2-0 lead, but UCLA punched right back as Blair Dunlap snapped a streak of nine straight retired by Wilson with his second home run of the year to lead off the third and Ryan Babineau added a sacrifice fly later in the frame to tie it at 2-2.

The Titans then took the lead for good in the fourth putting a pair in scoring position for Garneau, who doubled inside the bag down the left field line, scoring Wilson and Gary Brown to make it 4-2.

An RBI single by Brent Dean in the fifth closed the gap to 4-3, but Fullerton answered yet again in its half of the inning, loading the bases with two outs thanks to a single and a pair of walks to bring up Garneau, who drew a four-pitch walk to drive home Wilson and make it 5-3.

UCLA continued to apply pressure, making it a one-run game in the seventh off Kaplan, who was making only his second career relief appearance - and his first since May 8, 2007, when he pitched two innings to earn the win over Loyola Marymount.

Tim Murphy led off with a double to centerfield, but Kaplan looked to squeeze out of the jam after a pair of strikeouts. That brought up Jermaine Curtis, who worked the count to 3-1 before lacing a single into left field, scoring Murphy to make it 5-4.

That would be as close as the Bruins would get as Kaplan retired the side in order in the eighth and stranded the tying run at third base in the ninth, inducing Curtis into a game-ending fly ball to centerfield.

Colon and Wilson each finished with a pair of hits on the night to pace the Fullerton offense while Curtis and Murphy also finished with two hits to lead UCLA.

FULLERTON REGIONAL ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
DH - Brandon Crawford (UCLA)
OF - Blair Dunlap (UCLA)
OF - John Barr (Virginia)
OF - Erik Komatsu (CSF)
3B - Jermaine Curtis (UCLA)
SS - Christian Colon (CSF)
2B - Alden Carrithers (UCLA)
1B - Casey Haerther (UCLA)
C - Dustin Garneau (CSF)
P - Cory Arbiso (CSF)
P - Brian Wilson (CSF)

Most Outstanding Player: Brian Wilson (CSF)