http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzO7fQAZ3tA
A battle between two undefeated pitchers took place Saturday night at Goodwin Field, and it did not disappoint.
The Titans (12-3) were able to even their weekend series against visiting Texas A&M (10-6) with a 2-0 win after scratching across single tallies in the fifth and sixth innings. The Aggies had pulled away in game one Friday night by scoring four runs in the top of the ninth en route to a 6-1 victory.
Cal State Fullerton starting pitcher Justin Garza improved to 4-0 on the season after hurling seven shutout innings, striking out six while allowing only five hits and one walk. Garza, a freshman who was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in last year’s MLB draft, handed his A&M counterpart Daniel Mengden (3-1) his first loss of the season. It is expected that Mengden will be selected in the first round of this year’s draft in June.
“That guy pitching (Mengden) is gonna be a first round draft pick,” said Titan Head Coach Rick Vanderhook. “To beat a first-rounder with our freshman out there that pitched with him pitch for pitch is good.”
Both starters traded zeroes in the first four innings before CSUF managed to break the scoreless tie in the bottom of the fifth. With one out and the bases empty, center fielder Michael Lorenzen smacked a 1-2 fastball off the throwing arm of Mengden. The ball hit the right hander’s forearm and caromed toward the first base dugout, allowing Lorenzen to reach base safely. Despite Mengden grimacing in pain, he stayed in the game after being permitted to throw a handful of warm-up pitches by the umpiring crew. Lorenzen then stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by A&M catcher Mitchell Nau. Designated hitter J.D. Davis then brought home Lorenzen with a sacrifice fly to deep right field to give CSUF the game’s first run.
“Of course I’m happy to get on first, but then he was grabbing his arm so I was kind of praying for him, hoping it wasn’t his elbow, ending his career or anything,” said Lorenzen of his single off Mengden. “But it happened to be his forearm. He actually walked by and shook my hand and said, ‘nice base hit.’”
The Titans began the bottom of the sixth inning with three straight infield singles to load the bases with nobody out—right fielder Austin Diemer reached safely when he beat out a soft ground ball to Aggie second baseman Blake Allemand, and shortstop Richy Pedroza and first baseman Carlos Lopez each followed with a bunt single. Third baseman Matt Chapman was then hit by a pitch to force home a run. However, Mengden was able to limit the damage by striking out the next two batters before inducing a fly out to end the threat.
Like Mengden, Garza was also forced to pitch out of trouble. Garza was on the ropes in the sixth and seventh innings before escaping both jams. A&M put runners on second and third with only one out in the sixth thanks to a hit, walk and sacrifice bunt, but was unable to capitalize. Mengden, who was also batting cleanup in the Aggie lineup, popped out to Pedroza, and with two outs Garza retired A&M left fielder Jonathan Moroney on a fly ball to right. In the seventh, Garza got a huge strikeout with a man on third and one out before Pedroza snagged a line drive to end the inning.
“I just told myself I had to bear down,” said Garza. “I didn’t know when I was going to be done. They were gonna go to the bullpen, so I was just saying, ‘Well this could be my last inning, so give it your all right here. Give it everything that’s left in the tank.’”
CSUF had a chance to put the game away in the bottom of the seventh and eighth innings, but were unable to add any insurance runs. In the seventh, the Titans stranded Diemer at third after he hit a two-out double down the first base line and advanced an extra base when Aggie right fielder Jace Statum failed to field the ball cleanly. An inning later, Lopez was doubled off third base when left fielder Anthony Hutting lined out to A&M shortstop Mikey Reynolds.
The Titan bullpen was able to finish the shutout one night after allowing four Aggies to cross the plate in the ninth inning of what had been just a one-run game. Right hander Koby Gauna fired a scoreless top of the eighth before Lorenzen closed out the Aggies in the ninth, earning his fourth save of the year. Lorenzen has successfully converted his last eight save opportunities, dating back to last season.
“I don’t call myself a pitcher, I call myself a position player who pitches,” Lorenzen said. “There’s no pressure. I just get up on the mound and have fun.”
By Chris Konte & Amanda Zive