http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kh0DhFht7LA
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Through six innings, Cal State Fullerton’s offense was as dead as a doornail. UC Irvine starting pitcher Andrew Thurman carried a 2-0 lead and a no-hitter into the bottom of the seventh, but the Titans rallied for five runs in the inning to come from behind for a dramatic 5-2 victory over their conference and county rivals Friday night at Goodwin Field in front of a national ESPN audience.
Thurman (5-4), who last year took a perfect game into the ninth inning against CSUF and also pitched a no-hitter against Long Beach State, ran out of gas after 120 pitches.
Titan center fielder Michael Lorenzen led off the seventh by taking advantage of a hanging changeup, smacking it up the middle to break up Thurman’s no-hit bid with a leadoff single. After a fielder’s choice, catcher Chad Wallach put CSUF (45-8, 20-14Big West) on the board with a ringing RBI double to right-center field.
With two runners on base and two outs, shortstop Richy Pedroza flared a game-tying single into shallow right field. Thurman was then removed for reliever Mitch Merten.
First baseman Carlos Lopez came to the plate with an opportunity to give CSUF the lead. With runners on the corners and still two out, Lopez fouled off nine consecutive two-strike pitches before he laced the 14th pitch of the at bat between the first and second basemen to drive in the go-ahead run.
“At a certain point I lost count, I mean, I knew it (the pitch count) was high, but I didn’t know how high it was,” Lopez said. “I just kept trying to battle, I mean, I knew they could throw any pitch—honestly they’re known for that. So pretty much.’
“ I was just trying to see the ball and hit the ball, and I got a fastball inside and stayed inside it,” Lopez said.
“That was a real clutch at bat,” said CSUF starting pitcher Thomas Eshelman (10-2). “I was shocked by what he did. I’ve been on the other side of that, and it’s frustrating as a pitcher. I’m glad he was on our side doing that.”
Designated hitter J.D. Davis then padded the lead with a bases loaded, two-run single into left-center field on a full count, bringing the score to 5-2.
“It’s contagious,” said Vanderhook of his team’s seventh inning rally. “Just like their inning was contagious, ours was just a little more contagious.”
Eshelman returned for the eighth inning after working the first seven effectively, but was relieved after a leadoff single. Left-hander Tyler Peitzmeier recorded the first out of the frame before Lorenzen pitched 1.2 scoreless innings for a five-out save, his 17th of the season.
Eshelman and Thurman traded zeroes until the top of the sixth when the Anteaters (31-20, 13-11 Big West) broke through for a pair of two-out runs.
Irvine first baseman Connor Spencer blooped an RBI double into shallow left field that bounded off tumbling left fielder Anthony Hutting and kicked into foul territory, allowing center fielder Dominique Taylor to score all the way from first base.
Third baseman Taylor Sparks followed with a rocket to CSUF third baseman Matt Chapman that took a wicked hop and ended up in left field, scoring Spencer from second.
For Eshelman, it was his last regular season home start of his freshman season. If the Titans advance to the super-regional playoffs, he could pitch at Goodwin Field once more.
“He’s definitely not a freshman anymore, his feet are plenty wet,” Vanderhook said. “He’s been in the spotlight more than once. Pitching on ESPN tonight, I thought he did what he’s done since the very first time he pitched.”
“Every Friday we’re excited to have him out there,” Lopez said. “He’s really quick, fast-paced, and it’s easy to play defense behind him. And all we gotta do is score a few runs because he usually holds the other team to one or two.”
By Chris Konte