UPDATE: Jeren Kendall sent a home run out to right field to hand Vanderbilt the 4-3 victory in Game 4 of the CWS. The next game is noon (PST) Tuesday.
Notes from Omaha
On Sunday, Titan Athletics and the Alumni Association hosted a pregame tailgate party at the Living Room, a 3,500-square-foot event space just two blocks from TD Ameritrade Park. More than 250 Titan fans attended and watched the TSU vs. LSU game projected on giant screens, participated in giveaways, and grazed on a buffet that included orange and blue cupcakes and a hosted bar. Fans, decked out in Orange baseball jerseys and F-adorned caps, swapped stories recalling the four national championships Cal State Fullerton has won and are looking forward to a fifth.
Fans Carry Titan Pride Across the Country
Adan Vazquez ’09, (B.A. history) a captain in the Marine Corps is stationed in Kansas as a recruitment officer. He wearing his Titan jersey and couldn’t have been more pleased to be in Omaha watching his alma mater in the tournament.
“It’s awesome to see how much people care about the team and the school,” Vazquez said.
Whether he is in California, Omaha or Kansas, he says he always represents Titan Pride.“Everywhere I go, I wear something Titan-themed,” Vazquez said.
Father and Son Trip
Ian Simovich ’00 (B.A. business administration-accounting) has been to the College World Series seven times, including the 2004 national championship year. This year, he has brought his 4-year-old son, Riley. Wearing his Fullerton baseball cap, Riley is a little shy, but gave a thumbs up when asked what he thought about being in Omaha to watch the Titans.
“I’ve seen the Titans win a national championship and that was pretty special,” Simovich said. “But to have my son here with me is much better than that.”
Diamond Club Is in the House
Larry Young, CSUF alum and co-founder of the Goodwin Field Diamond Club, attended Friday’s pep rally in Fullerton and then flew out to Omaha for the series. At the Omaha tailgate, he donned a baseball cap with CSUF baseball buttons.
Like the many partiers at the Sunday festivities, he was swelling with pride. “This team and our fans are No. 1,” Young said.
Super Fan Makes an Appearance
Keith Franklin, aka Super Fan, loves Titan baseball. And he is not shy about expressing those feelings. At the tailgate, Franklin, wearing a denim biker vest with “Fullerton Titans” embroidered on the back and his fingernails painted orange and blue, jumped up on the table and led the crowd in a Titan chant.
“Let’s Go Titans!” he cheered. Looking more heavy metal than baseball fan, he shook his long mane of hair back and forth and gave everyone in the crowd he met a high-five and a big hug.
“These guys are monsters,” Franklin said. “They have welcomed me in to the family, and that means more to me than you will ever know. Go Titans!”
Rain Doesn’t Stop Titan Fans
Steven and Ann Stieb were determined to wait out the rain delay on Sunday night. They stayed in the seats, opened up a couple of blue and white Titan umbrellas and hunkered down until the game was officially suspended.
“We are here to see our son and the team, so we will stay until they say we have to leave,” Ann Stieb said. Her son is outfielder Tyler Steib.
The Stiebs are no strangers to the College World Series.
Steven Stieb played in the College World Series for the Salukis of Southern Illinois in 1977 and was named to the all-tournament team after the team finished third and was eliminated.
“It was fun then and it’s even better with Tyler in it,” Steven Stieb said.
They plan on bringing their umbrellas and rain gear.
Assistant Director of Media Relations/Social Media Michael Mahi is with the team in Omaha writing about CSUF’s College World Series experience via social media and the university’s news site. Follow him onFacebook,Twitter, Storify and Instagram.