I left Goodwin Field in the of of the fifth inning Saturday, with Cal State Fullerton leading Gonzaga 4-2, but BA’s Dave Perkin hung around to watch the end and checked in with a report afterward. The Bulldogs tied the game in the bottom of the fifth on a two-run homer by Anthony Synegal, but Fullerton scored runs in each of the next three innings to win 7-4. Catcher Dustin Garneau led the CSF offense, going 5-for-5 with three runs scored and a momentum-changing double in the sixth.

In the post-game press conference, Perkin asked Garneau if he enjoyed playing on the big stage, considering he was an all-Los Angeles City high school quarterback and played in the city baseball championship at Dodger Stadium in 2004.

Garneau’s response: "Nothing beats this."

Perkin also reported that Fullerton starter Daniel Renken settled down after a rocky start, allowing four runs (three earned) on nine hits and two walks while striking out six over eight innings.

Synegal said Renken "was a little sticky at the beginning." But later, Renken’s "fastball got better, and he hit his spots with the breaking ball and got out of jams."

Now the Titans are sitting pretty at 2-0, awaiting the winner of tomorrow’s Gonzaga-Utah elimination game.

"This is the proudest I’ve ever been of this team . . . they keep growing up together," Fullerton coach Dave Serrano said. "Someone is going to have to play pretty good to beat us."