Wednesday, March 10, 2002
Trojans upend
nBASEBALL: CSUF struggles from the start as USC steamrolls them 6-2 Tuesday
By Ricardo Sanchez, Jr. Daily Titan Staff Writer
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Senior Chris Klosterman safely slides into third base earlier this season.
Titan closer Chad Cordero appeared in the ninth inning Tuesday night but not to collect his tenth save of the season. Instead, with his team down, he was called out of the pen to hold the USC Trojans and hopefully give the Titans a chance for a come back in the bottom of the ninth. He did his job striking out all three batters he faced, but there was no magic for the Titans. The No.13 Cal State Fullerton baseball team lost to the Trojans (19-14) in front 1,309 in a nonconference game, 6-2, at Goodwin Field as the Titans went in order to end the game. The Titans fell to 21-11 but did not lose ground in the Big West standings. Fresh off a three-game sweep in which they blasted Sacramento State for 34 runs, the Titans failed to generate any offense after a quick start by shortstop Justin Smyres. Smyres launched his first homer as a Titan in the bottom of the first inning over the right-field wall off Trojan starting pitcher Jordan Olson to tie
the game at one. The game remained close until Titan starting pitcher Travis Ingle was removed in the third inning. “I was a staffing day,” coach George Horton said. “We wanted to get other guys some pitches.” The predetermined strategy would prove costly as Jeff Housman entered in the fourth and allowed four straight hits to left field, two of them doubles to Alberto Concepcion and Anthony Lunetta, giving the Trojans a 3-1 lead. “Jeff has us scratching our heads sometimes,” Horton said. Housman lasted two innings as Charlie Zahari took over in the sixth but loaded the bases and was burned by a controversial call. With two outs, the inning would have ended on a pick-off play at first when Zahari caught Michael Morales leaning too far off the base. Richie Burgos tagged him on the chest and seemed to have Morales out, but first base umpire Mike Gilmore called him safe. This proved crucial as Matt Bonovich drove in the runner from third on a sacrifice fly that would have been the
final out. The crowd reacted with hostility and Horton jogged out to question the call. “I told him everybody in the park had [the runner] out except for him,” Horton said It wasn’t the only judgment made by the umpires that didn’t go the Titans’ way. “There were a few tough calls that went against us— a lot of tough calls,” Horton said. “But we didn’t play well enough to win.” USC’s Brian Barre doubled to center field off Ingle’s first pitch of the game to start the Trojans’ rally. Micheal Moon and Bill Peavey followed with consecutive ground balls to Titan second baseman Jason Corapci scoring Barre making it 1-0. The Titans’ P.J. Pillitere singled to center and was brought home by Corapci’s single up the middle for the Titans only other run, but the threat ended when Burgos grounded out to short. Corapci went 3-for-4 and Shane Costa stretched his hitting streak to 14 games with a single in the eighth. The Titans travel to Stockton, Calif. to take on the Pacific Tigers in a three-game series this
Shaq’s time on the court is far from
nCOMMENTARY: Some may say that O’Neal should start thinking about ending his basketball career, but nothing could be further from the truth By Heather Hampton
Daily Titan Staff Writer Shaq is back and he’s still got game. Although rumors are flying that Shaquille O’Neal may be seeing his last days of soaring high above the hoops on the Laker court, there is no concrete evidence for the reasons why people believe he should go. O’Neal’s recent wrist injury may have fans baffled as to why someone who continues to get injured continues to shoot hoops, but isn’t it obvious? O’Neal’s got moves no one in the NBA can match and there is no reason why a few injuries should keep him off the court for good. O’Neal returned to the court Sunday in a match against the Miami Heat after sitting out three games
with a wrist injury. But that injury did not hold him back as he came out on fire against the Heat, scoring 40 of the Lakers points in a 96-88 victory. If that wasn’t enough to prove that Shaq still dominated the game, he also added 11 rebounds, blocked two shots and had two assists. O’Neal smothered the Heat’s faces in the dust. So why do people still think he should give up the game? I couldn’t tell you but what I can say for him is he is definitely the biggest key player in the league. In an article in the Los Angeles Times, forward Rick Fox said, “That’s the Shaq that will take us to another championship.” O’Neal won’t let his injuries get in his way. He doesn’t believe that he is hurt anyway. “I don’t get hurt,” O’Neal said. “ I
get taken out.” O’Neal gets taken out for a few games but there isn’t a single take out that wouldn’t bring him back to the court eventually. Although some may argue that his overall stats are lower than normal, while he is averaging 26.7 points and 10.8 rebounds and made 57.6 percent of his shots, how can you argue that the man has no talent? How many NBA players shoot as well as O’Neal? And how many of them bounce back after every injury blow? Besides, O’Neal didn’t even look like his wrist was the slightest bit injured as he dunked in the Heat’s faces. His jumpers looked as if they were perfectly mastered by the master himself. There is something to say for a player whose entire team, coaching
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staff and opponents look at his performance with awe and inspiration. Pat Riley, Miami’s head coach commented on O’Neal’s domination of the game in the Times. “He just picks you apart,” Riley said. “He is very skilled now. He sees everything very well. When he is ready to power you, he senses you are not coming anymore and he makes up his mind and goes to the rim. He is the strongest player in the league and he has been for the last four or five years.” You don’t hear this said about every player in the NBA and especially not of those who have recently been injured. O’Neal knows how to step it up when the pain is high. He won’t give in to injuries and the NBA shouldn’t give in to letting him go.
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Shaq celebrated the Lakers’ 2001 win and he’s ready for much
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