By Mike Besack, On-line Forty-Niner
April 15, 1997
Before taking the field with a four game lead over conference rival Cal State Fullerton last weekend, the Cal State Long Beach baseball team's three-game series with the Titans looked to be not quite as important as previous meetings.
From the first pitch Friday night to the final out on Sunday, the encounter at Titan Field proved to be just as intense as always.
After taking the first two games 2-1 and 13-7, en route to setting a school record for consecutive conference victories with 15, the 49ers faltered in Sunday's finale 8-5, but still escaped with a comfortable five game Big West Conference lead over the Titans
Prior to the series, the 49ers (26-14, 16-2) had swept four consecutive three-game series against conference opponents. CSULB had won 18 of 20, and their last conference loss was on March 8 when the Titans topped the 49ers 9-1 at Blair Field.
"We haven't locked anything up, but I'm pleased with where we're at," 49er head coach Dave Snow said regarding the five game lead after Sunday's loss. "[Today] was Fullerton's day for the big hits."
True, Sunday's game was Fullerton's, but as for big hits, the rest of the weekend had Beach written all over it.
Case in point: Friday's opener. With a 1-0 lead, Titan starting pitcher Matt Wise was absolutely mesmerizing. He had a perfect game through six innings, and it wasn't until the seventh when the 13th ranked 49ers finally touched him.
With two outs, third baseman Izzy Gonzalez doubled ending the perfect evening. "In the back of my mind I knew [Wise] was throwing a good game," Gonzalez said. "I had to get my team going." It worked.
With 49er starting pitcher Rocky Biddle silencing Titan bats after giving up the game's only run in the third, the 49ers finally scored in the eighth after a double by catcher Casey Martin and an RBI single by second baseman Steve Doherty.
But then, once again, it would be Gonzalez.
With two outs in the ninth and the score knotted at 1-1, the 5-8 senior drilled a Wise fastball over the right field wall, just inside the foul pole. After a night of near-perfection, Wise was handed the loss, while Biddle improved his record to 7-3. CSULB closer Ara Petrosian then shut the door on the Titans (23-18-1, 11-7) for his conference-leading eighth save.
The 49ers carried their momentum into Saturday's win, where they started off with another big hit. Center fielder J.J. Newkirk cranked Titan starting pitcher Brian Tokarse's second pitch of the game over the right field wall. His third homer of the year paved the way for a 14-hit 49er hit parade.
Prior to Sunday's loss, Tokarse- who the 49ers rocked for six runs in 4 1/3 innings the night before- was on the mound when The Beach lost its only conference game of the season.
Iran Barerra, Sunday's would-be starting pitcher for CSULB, was sidelined due to tendinitis in his shoulder. No. 4 starter Denny Gilich Jr. instead took the mound, then the loss.
"He was not able to do any side work," Snow said of Barerra. "I didn't want to chance him going out there, and then losing him for a long period." Snow does believe, though, that Barerra will be back soon.
With the Fullerton series now behind them, the stage is set for another showdown for CSULB when Nevada comes to town for three games this weekend.
The Wolf Pack lead the Big West's northern division with a 13-5 record, and according to the 49ers, shouldn't at all be taken lightly.
"We can't be complacent," said first baseman Toby Sanchez, who hit his team-leading seventh home run on Sunday. "There's still some teams left who can swing the bat. They've seen us before, and they'll make adjustments."