The Fullerton NCAA Regionals In the Rear View

Matt Dittman's two-out single in the eighth drove home Brandon Hohl with the go-ahead run and Davis Hendrickson (pictured) followed with a two-run double two batters later as fourth-seeded Illinois scored six times in the final three innings to eliminate host and top-seeded Cal State Fullerton, 7-5, in game five of the 2011 NCAA Baseball Regionals on Sunday evening at Goodwin Field.

The Titans (41-17) out-hit the Fighting Illini, 12-7, on the night, but were just 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position, stranding eight on base - six of those at second base or closer. Fullerton's season ends in regional play for the first time since 2002 when the Titans finished 1-2 in the postseason at Palo Alto with losses to Stanford and Long Beach State sandwiched around a win over San Jose State.

Illinois (30-26) advanced to the regional final to face unbeaten and second-seeded Stanford on Sunday night and lost. Stanford advances to face North Carolina in the Super Regionals next weekend. The series will be played in North Carolina.

Trailing, 4-1, entering the sixth, the Fighting Illini closed to within two on an RBI single by Hohl and tied the game one inning later in a messy seventh as a one-out error on a ball hit by Willie Argo prolonged an inning that would have ended on a ground ball to the bag at first by Hendrickson in the very next at-bat.

Illinois then got one run closer after a hit batter and wild pitch as Argo scored from third to make it 4-3, and Pete Cappetta's single to left drove home Josh Parr to make it 4-4.

That set the stage for the big eighth inning two-out rally as Hohl scored from second base on Dittman's only hit of the day, a single to left, to make it 5-4 and, after a walk to Argo, Hendrickson sent a drive to the gap in left centerfield, scoring both runners for a 7-4 advantage.

Now down to its final three outs, Fullerton mounted a rally in the ninth after Ivory Thomas reached first on a dropped third strike passed ball and moved to third on Richy Pedroza's double down the right field line. Casey Watkins then drove him home with an RBI ground out to make it 7-5 and bring up slugger Nick Ramirez as the potential tying run. However, Illinois closer Chris Pack shut the door, inducing Ramirez into a game-ending foul out to catcher Adam Davis on a 1-1 pitch.

Pack (8-1) earned the win, allowing an unearned run on two hits in two innings of work in relief of starter Corey Kimes, who surrendered three earned on 10 hits, walking four and striking out three in seven innings.

Nick Ramirez (1-1) suffered the loss, allowing three earned on two hits, walking two and striking out two in 1 1/3 innings of relief of starter Colin O'Connell, who was touched for two earned runs on five hits while striking out six in 6 2/3 innings. O'Connell cruised early, retiring 13 consecutive batters at one point until Josh Parr singled to lead-off the sixth.

Fullerton jumped out early as Nick Ramirez's RBI double in the first made it 1-0 and, after Illinois tied it on an RBI fielder's choice by Casey McMurray, added three more runs in the third on another RBI single by Ramirez, a run-scoring ground ball double play, and an infield hit by Greg Velazquez to make it 4-1.

Ramirez was 3-for-5 at the plate, tying the Fighting Illini's Cappetta, who was 3-for-4, for game honors. Eight different Titans finished with hits, including two apiece from Carlos Lopez and Velazquez.