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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted at 1:00 p.m., Sunday, June 27, 2004

Cal State Fullerton wins College World Series

Associated Press

OMAHA, Neb.— Jason Windsor pitched a five-hitter, Kurt Suzuki's RBI single capped off a three-run seventh inning and Cal State Fullerton won the national championship with a 3-2 victory over Texas in the College World Series on Sunday.

The Titans (47-22) won the best-of-three championship series 2-0 - a surprising end to a season that Fullerton started 15-16. The 22 losses are the most by a national champion since Stanford had 23 in 1988.

Fullerton also won national titles in 1979, 1984 and 1995 - all under current Texas coach Augie Garrido.

The Longhorns, the top-seeded team in the NCAA tournament, finished 58-15.

Windsor (13-4) was strong in throwing his second complete game of the CWS. He struck out 10 and walked one.

Windsor shut out South Carolina on a three-hitter in the Titans' opener, and he pitched three innings of shutout relief Thursday in another win over the Gamecocks.

In 21 innings, Windsor gave up 11 hits and two runs, struck out 29 and was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.

Suzuki lined a two-out single into left field, scoring Ronnie Prettyman from second for the winning run. Suzuki had been 2-for-20 in the College World Series before his big hit.

Fullerton, held to five hits over the first 6 1-3 innings, broke through after Texas starter Sam LeCure was relieved by Buck Cody (1-2) with the Longhorns leading 2-0.

Pinch-hitter Brett Pill tripled in the seventh on Cody's first pitch, scoring Bobby Andrews to cut Texas' lead to 2-1. A wild pitch by Cody scored pinch-runner Brandon Tripp with the tying run.

Prettyman reached on a throwing error by Texas shortstop Michael Hollimon, and later scored from second on Suzuki's hit off J. Brent Cox.

LeCure turned in a solid effort, holding the Titans to five hits and one run over 6 1-3 innings. He struck out five and walked none.

LeCure stayed in the game after getting hit on the right ankle by a hard comebacker by Justin Turner in the fifth inning. The ball ricocheted to third baseman David Maroul, who threw out Turner to end the inning. LeCure hopped back to the dugout, and a few minutes later was throwing in the bullpen.

But after LeCure left in the seventh, the Texas bullpen couldn't hold the lead and blew its third save opportunity of the Series.

Texas took 2-0 lead against Windsor, who saw his scoreless innings streak end at 27 2-3 innings.

Dooley Prince doubled leading off the game and Taylor Teagarden reached on a fielder's choice before Hunter Harris drove both in with a single into center field.

Windsor hadn't given up a run in five appearances since June 4 against Minnesota.