June 2, 2006

Box Score

FULLERTON, CA - Cal State Fullerton junior right-hander Lauren Gagnier struck out a career-high 10 batters through seven innings of work as the top-seeded Titans defeated fourth-seeded Saint Louis, 6-1, on Friday night in the NCAA Baseball Regional opener for both teams at Goodwin Field.

Fullerton (44-13), which won its eighth-straight contest, advanced in the winners bracket to meet No. 2 seed Fresno State on Saturday night (June 3) at approximately 8:05 p.m. The Billikens (32-28) fell into the losers bracket to meet San Diego on Saturday at 4:05 p.m. in the regional's first elimination game.

Gagnier (13-4) allowed only three hits through seven shutout innings without a walk to win his third consecutive start. He surpassed his previous career-high strikeout total of eight last set against Cal State Northridge on April 1 of this season.

Ryan Bird (8-6) suffered the loss for Saint Louis, allowing five runs (four earned) on seven hits in six innings of work. He struck out five and walked three in the loss.

Senior Danny Dorn led the Titans with a 2-for-4 night at the plate, including his third home run of the season - a two-run shot in the fourth - to give Cal State Fullerton the early lead.

The Titans added a single run in the fifth on an RBI single to left by Blake Davis, and scored two more in the sixth - one on a single by Brandon Tripp that was bobbled by the right fielder, allowing Clark Hardman to score from first base, and the second on a sacrifice fly by John Curtis that scored Tripp to make it 5-0.

Fullerton added a sixth run in the seventh inning on a sacrifice fly by David Cooper, scoring Brett Pill, who walked earlier in the inning.

Saint Louis finally broke through on the scoreboard in the eighth against reliever John Estes as Jon Guyre reached on a fielder's choice and scored two batters later when Johnny Sweeney, who finished 2-for-3 on the night to lead the Billikens, doubled off the glove of Dorn in left field to make it 6-1.

Estes then retired Greg Rodgers to end the inning and junior southpaw Ryan Paul closed things out in the ninth, stranding runners at the corners when Matt Mach hit a soft looper that Paul caught behind the mound to end the game.