Big First Inning Helps Pacific Defeat Titans

FULLERTON — Pacific scored five runs in the first inning, and needed all of them Thursday night to get past Cal State Fullerton--even with Dan Reichert on the mound.

The Titans came back against Reichert, but not far enough, and Pacific held on for a 6-4 victory in the opening round of the Big West Conference postseason baseball tournament at Titan Field.

“It’s your worst nightmare to go against the conference pitcher of the year and spot him five runs right away,” Fullerton Coach George Horton said.

Reichert, tied for the national lead in victories, went nine innings and threw 167 pitches, the most of his college career, in improving his record to 13-4. Reichert gave up seven hits and four walks while striking out 10.

“I don’t want to know how many [pitches] I threw, but it’s the kind of game where I could throw 200 if I needed to,” Reichert said.

The Titans (34-22-1) will try to regroup against Nevada today at 3 p.m. at Blair Field in Long Beach. Fullerton must win that game to avoid elimination.

Nevada, which finished first in the Northern Division, defeated Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, 10-6, Thursday. Matt Wise is scheduled to pitch for Fullerton. The Titans swept a three-game series against Nevada this season, winning the game Wise started, 5-2. Pacific (28-27) will face Long Beach State at 7 p.m.

Pacific’s big first inning was a back-breaker to the Titans and starter Brian Tokarse, who gave up four hits and three walks in the inning. Tokarse (10-2) gave up only one more hit and one run the rest of the way.

In the first, Tokarse had two out with only a runner at first, but gave up a single to Jason Vorhauer and a walk to Ryan Annett that loaded the bases. The next batter, Joey Camarata, hit a high chopper, and shortstop Ryan Owens tried to take it on the short hop and dive for the second-base bag, but Annett was going on the 3-2 pitch and was safe at second. Two runs scored on the play.

Tokarse walked the next two batters, forcing in another run, and a bloop single into short right field by Joss Clausman drove in two more runs before Tokarse finally got the third out on his 40th pitch of the inning.

“The game was lost in the first inning,” Horton said. “We didn’t do our part defensively by not throwing the ball over the plate and not catching it.”

The Tigers picked up another run in the fourth. Tye Hanseen reached base on a wild pitch on a third strike, advanced to third on Shane Rooney’s double and scored on a sacrifice fly.

Fullerton scored its first run in the fourth when C.J. Ankrum and Mike Lamb singled, and Ankrum scored on Reichert’s wild pitch. Reichert gave up another walk, but Jerome Alviso hit into a fielder’s choice and Chris Beck popped up, ending the inning.

The Titans came back for three runs in the fifth. A one-out double by Nakia Hill and a bloop single by Pete Fukuhara produced one run. Ankrum was safe on a bunt, and Reichert walked Steve Chatham to load the bases. Lamb walked to force in another run, and Ankrum scored when Clausman couldn’t make a play on Aaron Rowand’s short high chopper. But Reichert got out of the inning without further damage.