Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
Cal State Fullerton
All-American Romero Silences Bulldog Bats in 12-1 Loss
2/12/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 12, 2005
Fullerton, Calif. - Fresno State had a day and a half to get ready for their first game against Cal State Fullerton, but Titans All-American and mound ace Ricky Romero did too. Fullerton's star left-hander no-hit the Bulldogs through seven and the team only allowed two hits as the Bulldogs took the loss. Freshman Brian Lapin got the first hit of his college career in the eighth, hitting a double.
Doug Fister took the loss for the Bulldogs in his first start of the season. Fister, who had made four previous appearances out of the bullpen, pitched five innings, allowing seven hits and four earned runs while striking out six. Romero would allow just one hit in getting his second win of the season.
Romero started out the day in dominating fashion, striking out the side in the first. The Fullerton bats would then provide all of the offense they would need in the first, as Blake Davis would hit a hard double, and Justin Turner would follow that up with a RBI single to score Fullerton's first run.
Fullerton would add another run in the second, and two more in the third off of a home run from Brett Pill, his first of the year. Fresno State held the Titans scoreless in the next two innings.
Fresno State had their best opportunity to get on the board in the sixth inning. Catcher Chris Huston drew a walk from Romero, and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Freshman Ozzie Lewis hit a deep fly ball to right to move Huston to third, and DeAndre Miller walked to give Fresno State runners on the corners with only one out. Christian Vitters hit into a 4-6-3 double play to end the Fresno State threat.
Redshirt freshman Brian Lapin got the Bulldogs first hit on the first pitch of the eighth inning, roping a double to right center to end Romero's no-hitter. Romero would last one more batter, issuing Chase Moore a walk and ending the evening having pitched seven innings, allowing just the one hit, no runs and striking out seven.
The Titans continued to add runs, getting eight more in the late innings to lead to the 12-1 final score. Cal State Fullerton was methodical in getting those runs, never scoring more than three in an inning, but getting the big hit when it mattered, including a three-run home run to right by Ronnie Prettyman in the eighth to close out the game's scoring.
The Bulldogs scratched together a run in the ninth as Christian Vitters turned a walk into a run after a Beau Mills pinch hit double. Fresno State will face Cal State Fullerton on Sunday for the final regularly scheduled game of the series. That game starts at 1 p.m. and will be held at Goodwin Field.
