Johnson Finds Groove Just in Time for Titans

Cal State Fullerton outfielder Reed Johnson nearly had the day off Sunday.

“He hadn’t been swinging the bat well,” Titan Coach George Horton said. “We were considering making a change for a game, but I guess it goes to show that some of the best coaching moves are the ones that aren’t made.”

Indeed.

Johnson drove in one run with a double in the first inning, then ripped a three-run homer in a five-run second that sent Fullerton rolling to an 8-4 victory over Fresno State. It gave the Titans (4-3) a three-game sweep against the Bulldogs (5-6) at Titan Field.

“It seems like I always get off to a slow start, but I hope this will change that,” Johnson said. “I think I had been trying to guide the ball, and pushing. Maybe I’ve been thinking too much. Today I just let it go, and took my swings, and it seemed to work.”

Johnson’s four-RBI day helped sophomore right-hander Matt Sorensen, a transfer from Cerritos College, win his first Division-I start. Sorensen gave up six hits and three runs in seven innings. Closer Kirk Saarloos took over in the eighth after a leadoff double. Saarloos pitched the final two innings, yielding three hits and one run.

Sorensen gave up a single and double to the first two batters he faced. Two infield outs produced two runs. Sorensen retired the Bulldogs in order in the second, fifth and sixth.

“I felt good in the first inning, but they hit good pitches right off the bat,” Sorensen said. “I wasn’t missing on them, so I was still confident. But I think our five-run inning got Fresno State down mentally, and they never bounced back. I was able to take advantage of that.”

Outfielders Spencer Oborn and Rod Perry Jr. turned in sparkling plays to help Sorensen.

Oborn made a diving catch of Dennis Brewer’s line drive to left leading off the sixth. In the seventh, Perry threw out Andy Siminoli, who had walked, at second base when Nick Garcia’s bloop fly ball dropped into short right between Perry and second baseman David Bacani.

“Those were both good plays, but there were some others that weren’t,” Horton said. “We didn’t get the jump on a couple of balls in the outfield we should have. We also didn’t show great range on the infield, but at least we made the routine plays. There have been times lately when we haven’t done that.”

The Titans had 15 hits against three Bulldog pitchers, with Bacani and designated hitter Shawn Norris each getting three. It was the first game in the starting lineup for Norris, a highly regarded freshman shortstop who has been slowed by an ankle injury.

“I’m still not back to full strength, but it’s getting better,” Norris said. “I was a little nervous until I got that first hit. After that, I was fine.”

The Titans play at defending national champion USC Wednesday night.