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Fullerton Coach Shaun Hill with winning pitcher Zach Fany after the game Thursday. (Photos OC Sports Zone, Tom Connolly).
Many young baseball players dream of making it to the Big Leagues one day.
On Thursday night at Anaheim Stadium, players on the Troy and Fullerton baseball teams had a chance to do the next best thing. They got to play a regular season game in a Major League ballpark.
Fullerton (16-5) scored four times in the sixth inning to break open a 1-0 game and went on to defeat the Troy (10-11-2) 5-0. Despite both teams being Freeway League opponents, the game was considered a non-league game. The Los Angeles Angels continued their goodwill of inviting local high school teams to play games at Anaheim Stadium.
Both coaches used the opportunity to empty their benches and allow as many players as possible to experience the thrill of playing on a Major League Baseball diamond. Fullerton used seven pitchers and Troy used six hurlers.
“Our players are thrilled to be able to play in a game like this, especially our 15 seniors,” said Troy Coach Jason Jamison. “And to play against our crosstown rivals (Fullerton), makes it even more special. It’s always exciting when we play Fullerton.”
Indians coach Shaun Hill agreed.
“It’s a lot of fun; each of our players are excited to be playing on the same field that the Angels play on,” he said. “We’re batting in the same batter’s box and running the same bases that Major Leaguers use, that makes it so exciting”.
The game was scoreless until the bottom of the fifth.
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Fullerton players before Thursday’s game.
Fullerton and Troy teams played the second game Thursday at Angel Stadium.
Nate Norman contributed to Fullerton’s win.Nate Norman led off the inning with a double to right and scored when Connor Sutherland drilled a two-out RBI triple that one-hopped the wall in right center field giving Fullerton a 1 -0 lead.
“I was thinking about going opposite field when I got up because the pitcher wasn’t throwing that hard, and I’m not used to that,” said Norman.
Sutherland was waiting for the right pitch to hit.
“I was sitting on a fastball and it felt good when I hit it,” Sutherland said.
The Indians batted around in the sixth. Freshman Zach Fany started the rally with a triple to left, as he displayed blazing speed around the bases. He then scored on a wild pitch to make it 2-0.
“I feel blessed as a freshman to play in a game like this, playing on the same field that Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani is unbelievable.”
Two outs later, following back-to-back batters being hit by a pitch, Kyle Kim blasted a two-run triple to up the Fullerton lead to 4-0. He scored on a wild pitch for the Indians final run.
“This is amazing to win this game, this is the best day of my life,” said Kim. “This win will help keep us hyped up for the rest of the season.”
Troy had several scoring opportunities in the first and fifth innings and then loaded the bases in the seventh but were unable to capitalize each time.
Both teams have five regular season games remaining. The Indians won their fourth consecutive game while Troy dropped its fourth straight game.
“We probably have to win out to make the playoffs,” Jamison, the Troy coach, added.
—Tom Connolly, For OC Sports Zone
