Skip to main content
The largest online newspaper archive
A Publisher Extra® Newspaper

The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California • 140

Location:
Los Angeles, California
Issue Date:
Page:
140
Extracted Article Text (OCR)

ORANGE COUNTY Sunday, June 12, 1988l'art III 1 5 CooAnjjetco (Slimes Fullerton Lost Command When Defense Faltered, Bats Failed more game of pretty flawless baseball would have done it." But flawless baseball wasn't what the Titans had in them during the last two games. As often as the Titans make it to the Series and there have been five trips Fullerton has always seemed a bit of an outsider. It has to do with the stadium organ. In the midst of schools with more established traditions, Fullerton was the only team here without a fight song. Organist Jim Hines, who breaks into strains of a school's song when a run is scored or a rally started, had to improvise with Fullerton.

"California, Here I Come," was the tune most often used, although "King of the Road" and "On the Road Again" were also used references to the fact that Fullerton, because its home field isn't of sufficient quality to host a regional, has competed in 12 NCAA regionals since 1975, all on the road. Jim Osborn, who replaced Rex Peters in right field during the Series, was the only Titan to make the all -tournament team. Osborn, who batted .317 with 5 home runs during the season, hit .400 with 2 home runs in the Series. Peters, who did not make the trip to Omaha, was suspended indefinitely before the Series for disciplinary reasons that school officials will not elaborate on. By ROBYN NORWOOD, Times Staff Writer OMAHA With the season over, the search for perspective has set in.

Cal State Fullerton came within one game of the national championship game in the College World Series, but that was as far as it went. "You've got to be happy with our position and the year we had," Titan Coach Larry Cochell said Saturday. "You get to this point, and you make the plays or you don't make the plays." Fullerton did not make the last few plays it needed, and for that reason the Titans went home Saturday, the day that Stanford beat Arizona State for the championship. Fullerton had appeared to be in command as late as Thursday morning, when the Titans were the only remaining undefeated team. But Stanford, which had lost to the Titans Monday, came back to eliminate Fullerton by handing it two consecutive losses.

The Titans (43-18) came up short when their defense faltered, along with the bats of the hitters who had paced them all season. Keith Kaub, the Titans' power hitter, batted .333 in the Series, but he had only one extra-base hit a home run in 15 at-bats and struck out 5 times. Brent Mayne, the Titans' leading hitter, batted .267 in the Series, well below the .401 average he brought in. And Mike Ross, the Titans' cleanup hitter, batted .250, though he had a home run and two doubles. They were, of course, facing better pitching, and they had a particularly difficult time with Lee Plemel, the Stanford pitcher who was named the tournament's outstanding player.

Fullerton's own pitching held up well. Longo Garcia pitched two complete games and had a 2.0 carned-run average, and Mark Beck struck out 13 in beating Stanford the first time before he struggled a bit in the final game, when the Fullerton defense let a 3-0 lead get away. One way or another, Fullerton just came up short. It was a season of some memorable scenes. There was Cochell, taking over in September, dealing with the legacy of Augie Garrido, and finally taking the team to the Series, where Collegiate Baseball magazine named him coach of the year.

He gives all the credit to the players. "I told them, 'I'm coach of the year, you know why? Because the kids played. If the kids don't play, I'm not coach of the There was Mayne, the Titan catcher who was brought in for his defensive abilities, mounting a school and Pacific Coast Athletic Assn. -record 38-game hitting streak. There was the Fullerton team, overcoming a slump at the end of the season to sweep through its first six postseason games undefeated.

And at the end. there was Garrido, watching his old team from the stands, saying that it was in position to win it all. Cochell thought so, too. "I left thinking we could have won it," he said. "We were right there.

The hardest part is getting there. That's what's disappointing. We were right there. One Associated Press Outfielder Bobby Jones can't bear to watch during Titans' 9-5 loss to Stanford Friday. Plemel Wins Honor, and It Fits Former Laguna Hills Pitcher to a game one at a time." It was one at a time in the postseason, too one complete game at a time.

He was at his best in the postseason, earning three complete-game victories for Stanford, including a victory over Rutgers in the Northeast Regional. His postseason earned -run average was 1.67. Stanford didn't need him in the final the grass stains on his uniform were only from the celebratory pileup but Plemel said he could have gone a couple of innings if needed. It wasn't necessary. His only job Saturday was to enjoy it.

"It's great, it's great," he said. "As good as last year, no question." Troy Paulsen knows the meaning of a ring of one's own. Paulsen, who played at La Quinta High School, was a member of Stanford's championship team last year, but he did not make the trip to Omaha because he was recovering from knee surgery. He got a national championship ring, but it never felt as if he had earned it. Now, after Stanford's victory Saturday in the College World Series final, he will be getting another.

"It's a lot different," said Paulsen. "Last year, I was so happy for the team, but I felt left out. This year, I was on the field playing." Paulsen was 2 for 5 with a run batted in in the title game, and he finished the season batting .342, second best on the team. By ROBYN NORWOOD, Times Staff Writer OMAHA-The lettering on Lee Ple-mel's shirt was far too precise. There had not been enough time for anyone to put pen to cotton, at least not so neatly, but there he stood in the midst of Stanford's celebration, wearing a gray T-shirt, on it the handwritten words, "Stanford Baseballnational champs1988." Plemel had not pitched during Stanford's 9-4 victory over Arizona State Saturday for the College World Series title.

Perhaps, then, when the outcome became clear, he had gone back into the clubhouse and carefully measured and printed the message on the shirt. But not at all. Plemel, a former Laguna Hills High School pitcher, had made the shirt before Stanford played even its first regional game eight victories before the Cardinal won the national title. "Me and some friends did this last year, and it worked," he said. Stanford won the title last year, and this year it became the first team to repeat since USC won five straight from 1970-74.

Perhaps the shirt played its part, but Plemel can take a good portion of the credit himself. He pitched two complete-game victories for Stanford in the Series, beating Fresno State and Cal State Fullerton, allowing just 4 runs in 18 innings. For his performance, he was named the iHiiii TtcjM.A, Associated Press Stanford's Lee Plemel, of Laguna Hills High School, was named the outstanding player of the College World Series. he lost 5 of 6 games at one point. "During the season, it wasn't a matter of arm trouble," he said.

did start getting discouraged. Sometimes I would go out with good stuff and still get hit." But after his record fell to 5-6, things changed. "From there, I concentrated on each goes to someone who played in the last game." His Stanford teammates surrounded him, cheering him with high fives, except for his catcher, Doug Robbins, who lifted him in a hug. Plemel (12-8) had his difficulties during this season. Once he had a no-decision in a game in which he struck out 15, and Series' most outstanding player.

Plemel, a senior, looked genuinely surprised when his name was called as the outstanding player, even though it was a choice obvious enough that cameras were trained on him before the announcement. "I was surprised," he said. "I knew I pitched well in two games, but it usually BROWN Why Swimming regardless of color." Brown, a native of Kent, Ohio, was a wide receiver and corner-back for Northwestern. He was drafted and released by the San Francisco 49ers. He joined Fuller-ton in 1980 after working as a graduate assistant at Northwestern, an assistant high school coach in Kent and a coach of the secondary at Eastern Illinois.

Pools Are ilMOiAm pros," Murphy said. "Well, wc all aspire to that. The fact is. Jerry has the ability to do it." Brown would be paid about $70,000 a year, or about $20,000 more than he makes at Fullerton. if he accepts the job.

He said he sees himself as qualified for the pro job. "I'm a talented coach," he said. "I don't want to be hired just because I'm black." Lynn said the team's absence of black coaches is "not something we're proud of or embarrassed about. We'll hire the best person, AND Continued from Page 14 If Brown takes the job, he would be the fourth Fullerton assistant to leave since the end of the 1987 season. Murphy, who called Brown "one of the best friends I've ever had," conceded that losing him would be a big loss.

But he said he believes Brown is destined to coach in the professional ranks. "He's always aspired to be in the WHY FIBERGLASS IS REPLACING CONCRETE FOR POOLSt This full size, one piece fiberglass pool is being lowered into a prepared excavation! Completely installed in as little as 15 days Fiberglass, 17 times stronger than crack prone concrete, is LESS! Needs less chemicals, less electricity and up to 90 less maintenance; because ALGAE, the plague of old fashioned concrete and plaster, simply cannot gain a foothold on the smooth fiberglass finish! Many sizes are available; 3 to 6 and 8 feet deep up to 16 by 40 feet in size. Carry a transferable, 25 year structural warranty even against earthquakes! Call for FREE color brochure and FREE estimate! 100 Financing O.A.C. SKOAL OFFU if aa I SKOAL OFFtH A '140 2 SUITS 339 I 4 CUSTOM MADE SHIRTS North-South All-Star Baseball Saunders Sparks South Victory With 3 Hits SAN DIEGO-Doug Saunders of Esperanza High School had a single, double and triple to lead the South to a 14-4 victory in Game 2 of the North-South All-Star baseball series Saturday night at San Diego State's Smith Field. Saunders, who had three hits in Friday's 6-5 South victory, is 6 for 8 in the two games.

On Saturday, the South took a 4-0 lead in the second inning on an RBI single by Joe Arredondo of Bellflower, an RBI double by Saunders and a two-run double by Ron Kelly of Mt. Carmel. South pitcher Tony Darden of Diamond Bar High had his troubles early as well, but he settled down to combine with La Habra's Matt Lipscomb on a six-hitter. The final game of the series is scheduled for noon today at Smith Field. -CHRIS ELLO Tlrtfif Hlh Mcu? You won't find lane WIDE SELECTION OF FABRICS Tha fJucinm Tallnrlnn 17775 main st suite -J surroundinas or hn SUNpfPOOLS IRVINE, CA 7 14 26 1 -9633 Mon.

to Fri. Sat. 10-5 tptciAL orrtn 0000 imo txm ovtflMad that inllati tabs at EJB Just ouali brand nams casual to drissy CAL STATE jm-aonrig retail pnets. WOOL SLHTt M.K COATS Rtillt400 t1W ftotaHtaSO 1140 HatlEaan SataVTMMq 11111 tratCaatj tatn latilatei (it4) rum (III) 1M14I (213)83 Htt (iii) mm (714) B4 I7M () KJ1W TOLL FREE CAMP Lb nm Onm Shm tktm EJB CLOTHING I U7 StfMit Ct. mtn MON THftu'NI II lotM714 JO 346-6947 (800) TWO SESSIONS JULY 25-29 AUGUST 8-12 9 AM TO 3 PM DAILY DIRECTED BY LARRY COCHELL CAL ST.

FULLERTON BASEBALL COACH WITH SPECIAL QUESTS. For More Info. Free Brochure (714 870-6331 or 773-3789 JOSE CANSECO Oakland A's WALLY I0YNER CaHI. Angeles NEW DELUXE MODELS INCLUDE 7 JETS 1 H.P. PUMP WHIRLPOOL JET FULLY FOAMED CERAMIC TILE DUAL AIR CHANNELS TREATED FRAMES 3" SPA COVER Saturday, June 18, Anaheim Stadium, 10 a.m.

-2 p.m. ADAl RAMS C30HDSL. FREE Parking and Admission FREE Ram Souvenirs FREE Hot Dogs and Soft Drinks MEET Ram Players and Get Autographs 1988 Cheerleader Team Will Perform Available 1988 (oason teats will be marked for your convenience. Come to Anaheim Stadium, enjoy the day and telect your teats for the exciting 1988 season. For information, call (714) 937-6767 8x8 REDWOOD GAZEBO Including I bar ft 4 nodi oorrmg ou.

uar. omco wo av flf) ADVANCED SPA DESIGNS Tflflfl" I YOUR BEST BUY IS at mm cunnou ifwy 1347 BLUE GUM. ANAHEIM. OPEN 7 DAYS TIL 6 1 nnu rin nun ni at (714) 630-1150 I 57 FREEWAY SIGN fto days same as CASH OAC No glmmlcki Ntvw Any High Prniurr Jul) Plain OM-funttntd Honttl Spa SiAi. Strvtca and Education.

Get access to Newspapers.com

  • The largest online newspaper archive
  • 300+ newspapers from the 1700's - 2000's
  • Millions of additional pages added every month

Publisher Extra® Newspapers

  • Exclusive licensed content from premium publishers like the The Los Angeles Times
  • Archives through last month
  • Continually updated

About The Los Angeles Times Archive

Pages Available:
7,610,422
Years Available:
1881-2024