2003 College World Series Game 2
Complete CWS Index

by John Manuel
June 13, 2003

OMAHA--Cal State Fullerton ranked ahead of Louisiana State in the Top 25 since opening the season with a sweep of Stanford and a program-record 8-0 start. But when the NCAA seeded the top eight teams in the 64-team field, it was LSU that was ranked second and CSUF seventh.

Friday night, the Titans made their case to have been the higher seed. They spotted the Tigers a run, then stormed back behind outfielder Shane Costa's home run and an aggressive offense to hand LSU an 8-2 loss.

"What you saw was the way we've played all year," CSUF coach George Horton said. "We bunted, situational hitting, teamwork. Every once in a while, somebody runs into one and tonight that was Shane, obviously."

Costa capped a four-run third inning against LSU starter Nate Bumstead (11-4) that started with a bunt single by Kurt Suzuki, a sacrifice bunt and a pair of walks. The inning's first run scored on a wild pitch, and later Costa blasted a one-strike pitch for a long three-run home run to right field. It was his fifth and the Titans' 35th of the year.

"I thought it was a pretty good pitch," Bumstead said. "You just tip your cap on that one.

"They played a different style than what I'm used to facing. They had a lot of bunts to start innings and try to put pressure on you."

Fullerton kept attacking with its slashing, West Coast style. Center fielder Kyle Boyer bunted and stole a base to open the fourth, then moved to third on Danny Dorn's single. Tigers right fielder Jon Zeringue fielded Dorn's single cleanly, but even with Boyer holding at third, he air-mailed the throw to the plate over everyone's head, scoring Boyer easily. Dorn, who moved to second on the error, came around to score two outs later on Ronnie Prettyman's single.

"I'd obviously like to have three or four guys with double-digit home runs, but even with power we'd still bunt and attack," Horton said. "We're committed to that. It's been part of every offense I played for, and it's part of every team I've coached."

Pitching has been a part of most of Horton's Fullerton teams, and that was no different Friday night. Righthander Jason Windsor missed the strike zone with his first seven pitches, and the Tigers had first and third with one out in the first. Windsor worked out of that jam by striking out Blake Gill and Clay Harris. LSU got its first run when sophomore DH Ryan Patterson hit a solo bomb to left field, his 16th homer of the season to pace the Tigers. But Windsor (11-2) settled down until the sixth, when a hit, a walk and an error loaded the bases for LSU.

Reliever Sean "Spider" Martin came in, and Patterson belted his first pitch to deep left, but with the wind blowing in, it only had enough for the warning track, and Dorn squeezed it for the third out to end the rally.

"I was a little nervous--it was my first time pitching here and I had the adrenaline going," Martin said. "I didn't think he got it all, but then when I saw Danny fading back, I got a little scared."

The Tigers got a second run in the seventh with Zeringue's double and a pair of ground balls, but didn't scratch when the Titans finished up with all-time saves leader Chad Cordero.

"They got guys over all day and are obviously a good ballclub," LSU coach Smoke Laval said. "We had a chance there in the first inning and then got that home run in the second. I thought we might bet the juices flowing a little, but it didn't happen."

The loss drops LSU into Sunday's losers matchup with South Carolina in an all-Southeastern Conference battle. The Tigers won the West Division and had the best record in the league overall, while South Carolina won the East Division. LSU won the regular-season series two games to one in Baton Rouge. The Gamecocks will throw lefty Steven Bondurant, while LSU will use senior righty Bo Pettit if the blister on his throwing hand allows him to go. Otherwise, the Tigers will use freshman righty Justin Maier.

Fullerton, meanwhile, moves on to face nemesis Stanford. The Cardinal and Titans usually open their seasons against each other, and the Titans swept a February series between the two teams this year after being on the losing end of the series for four seasons.

"We knew when we saw the 64-team setup that if we got here and if they did, we'd meet up with the good ol' Cardinal," Horton said. "In my mind, it doesn't get much better than when Cal State Fullerton and Stanford play. They are extremely well coached, and we both have our own philosophies and try to execute better than the other guy. It's a wonderful series for us, and it's why I coach."