Baseball season ends with 9-1 loss to Cal State Fullerton
Stanford, Calif.-----Cal State Fullerton scored in six different innings to end San Jose State University's 2002 NCAA Baseball Tournament appearance and the Spartans' winningest season in school history in a 9-1win at Sunken Diamond.
| The Spartan faithful give the 2002 baseball team a final round of applause following Saturday's season-ending loss. |
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| SJSU vs.CS Fullerton Box Score |
"We are obviously disappointed that we are leaving. I didn't feel we played the kind of baseball today that we have played over the course of the season," said Spartan head coach Sam Piraro. "Your opponent has a lot to do with that and Cal State Fullerton was tremendous."
The Titans, 37-21, crossed home plate in each of the first three innings including twice in the second and built up a 4-1 lead. Cal State Fullerton closed out the Spartans’ hopes scoring five times in the final three innings.
San Jose State, 45-17, scored its only run in the bottom of the first on an RBI single by third baseman Kevin Frandsen to drive in Nathan Corrick.
Jahseam George (9-2), who pitched 6 1/3 innings, was charged with his second loss of the season. Mike Mallott and Don Gemmell appeared in relief for the Spartans who completed their fourth NCAA Baseball Tournament appearance and second in the last three seasons.
Jordan DeJong pitched a complete-game six-hitter to raise his record to 11-3. DeJong worked out of jams in the fourth, fifth and six innings after Cal State Fullerton was ahead, 4-1. In the fourth and sixth innings, San Jose State got leadoff doubles from Frandsen and Bryan Baker, respectively, but were unable to score. With the bases loaded and two outs in the fifth, DeJong induced Frandsen, who was stranded at third base in the fourth, into an inning-ending ground out. Overall, San Jose State left nine runners on base.
"You have to give credit to Cal State Fullerton and Long Beach," remarked senior second baseman Gabe Lopez on the Spartans offensive performance in the Regional. "We faced good pitching all year and we didn't expect anything different coming into the postseason. But, like coach said, we didn't play postseason baseball."
All but two of the Cal State Fullerton starters had at least one base hit. Designated hitter Dave Fischer, who had a lead-off homer in the third inning, went 2-for-5 with two RBI and was one of three Titans with a pair of hits against Spartan pitching.
The Spartans finished the 2002 season setting eight new school records. Although the team will lose 11 seniors next season, a majority of this season's starters will return to the Spartans in the fall.