Titans Capture National Title on Kotsay’s Day : College World Series: Sophomore center fielder hits two home runs in first two innings, then pitches the final 1 2/3 in Fullerton’s 11-5 victory.
OMAHA — The College World Series championship game was a home run derby for a while Saturday.
When it was all over, Cal State Fullerton celebrated its third national title under Coach Augie Garrido, and its best record ever at 57-9, with an 11-5 victory over USC in the second all-California final in the last four years.
Sophomore Mark Kotsay hit two home runs in the first two innings, tying a championship-game record, in a do-everything day in which he drove in five runs, made a big catch in center field and closed out the game as a relief pitcher.
To no one’s surprise, Kotsay was chosen the tournament’s outstanding player after hitting a Series-high .563 in four games. His two-year average of .517 is a Series career record.
Kotsay’s teammates Tony Martinez and Tony Miranda also had seventh-inning home runs that delivered the crushing blow to USC. The four homers were the most by one team in a title game.
“I guess I just like the big-game atmosphere of playing here in the World Series,†Kotsay said. “I laid it on the line. What’s that statement? No fear? I didn’t have any the whole way. I felt I needed to perform at a high level.â€
USC (49-21) also had three home runs in the first three innings, but still trailed the Titans, 7-5. Ernie Diaz drove in three runs with his home run in the second, and Walter Dawkins and Geoff Jenkins had bases-empty homers in the third.
But just when it appeared Rosenblatt Stadium, filled with a record 22,027 fans, was going to be an all-day launching pad, Fullerton closed the door on the Trojans, who made the trip to Omaha for the first time since winning in 1978.
Ted Silva (18-1) held the Trojans scoreless for four consecutive innings, overcoming the early shelling that was compounded by a 17-m.p.h. wind blowing into the right-field corner.
“The balls were blowing out pretty hard,†Silva said. “Jenkins hit that one really hard. I knew it was going to be a slugfest . . . but I sort of got in a groove about the fourth inning.â€
Garrido, in fact, said he noticed the wind’s impact before the game. “I wanted to blindfold Ted in batting practice the way those balls were going out of here,†Garrido said.
Silva, who gave up six hits in 7 1/3 innings, got the first out in the top of the eighth, then Kotsay came on in relief to preserve Fullerton’s 18th consecutive victory. “Ted’s back had started to stiffen up a little,†said George Horton, associate head coach.
Though the game probably will be remembered for its offensive thunder, USC Coach Mike Gillespie won’t forget the sparkling defensive play Titan first baseman D.C. Olsen made in the seventh inning.
Olsen speared Greg Walbridge’s shot over the first-base bag and turned it into a double play, getting Chad Moeller at second. Ernie Diaz, the next batter, doubled but USC came away from the inning without a run when Silva struck out Wes Rachels for the final out.
“That play Olsen made was the big play in this game,†Gillespie said. “Kotsay’s performance is the one that jumps out at you, but that play was huge. That had double written all over it, and that would have given us runners on second and third and nobody out.â€
Olsen said he had been told to guard the line. “We were playing him to pull the ball,†Olsen said. “I just made sure I kept my eye on it, then tried to make sure I got a good throw to second.â€
After that, the home runs by Martinez and Miranda in the bottom of the seventh gave Fullerton an 11-5 cushion, all but ending USC’s season.
Kotsay’s three-run shot in the first was the longest of the day, clearing the screen in center field and driving in Miranda, who had singled, and C.J. Ankrum, who reached on a bunt. Olsen led off the second with a single, Jack Jones was safe when his bunt was mishandled, then Martinez advanced the runners and Olsen scored when Miranda grounded out. Ankrum’s single drove in Jones, setting the stage for Kotsay’s second home run in two innings.
USC pitcher Seth Etherton, a freshman from Dana Hills High, relieved starter Brian Cooper in the fourth and got into trouble in the seventh on his error and walk. Martinez hit his three-run homer with two outs and Miranda’s homer followed.
Garrido praised Martinez as one of the players who has played a key role in the late-season surge. “Tony has improved a great deal offensively and defensively,†Garrido said. “We had a No. 9 hitter who hit, and he played third base as well as you can play it.â€
Fullerton became only the sixth team since the Series moved to Omaha in 1950 to go unbeaten in the regional and the Series. The Titans also were the first top-seeded team to win the title since the NCAA began ranking them before the Series in 1988.
The championship came in Fullerton’s second consecutive visit to Omaha, and third in the last four years. The Titans were beaten in the semifinals by Georgia Tech last season and lost in the title game to Pepperdine in 1992. Fullerton finished with the highest team batting average (.372) and the lowest earned-run average (2.00).
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