June 6 , 2007

Storey, Fresno State fall to Cal-State Fullerton again

BDN Staff Reports

SAN DIEGO — Branson grad Loren Storey saw his Frenso State career come to an end on Monday as the Bulldogs fell 13-2 to Cal-State Fullerton in the championship game of the San Diego Regional in the NCAA Tournament.

Both of Fresno State’s losses in the regional came at the hands of the perennial power Titans.

Fresno State fell to Fullerton last year in the final round of regional action in Fullerton, Calif. Fullerton is 24-3 when it can advance in the postseason.

The Bulldogs close out their season a 38-29 overall record with a first-place finish in the WAC. Fresno State also won the WAC Tournament to record the first back-to-back WAC championships and tournament titles in school history.

Storey was one of two seniors for the Bulldogs.

Cal State Fullerton scored the first run of the game on the second pitch of the evening. The Titans’ Clark Hardman hit a solo homer out of the park to right field.

The Bulldogs answered in the bottom of the first , with runners on the corners and Brian Lapin hitting into a fielder’s choice, scoring Erik Wetzel from third base to make it 1-1.

In the top of the third inning Fullerton took a four-run lead at 5-1, thanks to a three-run home run by John Curtis.

Fullerton scored its only run of the game in top of the seventh inning with the bases loaded on a sacrifice fly at 10-1.

The Titans scored two runs in the top of the eighth, one on a hit by pitch and the other on a fielder's choice. The final run for the Titans came on a home run in the top of the ninth.

The Bulldogs beat Minnesota and San Diego. Storey was 1-for-4 in what proved to be his finale and 4-for-17 in the four games to finish his senior year with a .331 batting average.

Cal-State Fullerton moves on to meet UCLA in Super Regional action.