By Bill Sheehan

 To borrow from Yankees legend Yogi Berra, "It's déjà vu all over again."

A year ago, Cal State Fullerton's baseball was 6-6 in Big West play. The squad won 13 of its next 19 games to secure a berth in the five-team conference championship tournament.

The 2026 Titans were also at 6-6 after losing at Hawaii last Sunday. Can they rally like last year's team? They took a step in the right direction Thursday with a 9-1 win over UC Riverside (8-20 overall, 3-7 in Big West play) in the opener of a three-game series at Goodwin Field. Game two is Friday at 6:05 p.m.

"We played a clean game with solid pitching, timely hitting and good defense. And we had strong baserunning. It was nice to see us play a complete game," said Fullerton head coach Jason Dietrich.

The Titans (13-15 and 7-6) have what it takes for another resurgence in the latter half of the season, said three of the team's top players.

"Last season, we were in the same predicament –- we were 6-6 literally on the same day of the year. We can go one of two ways. We can go the route where we aren't doing too good, or we can light a fire under our a**** and continue to go forward," said junior right fielder Paul Contreras, referencing part of the human anatomy.

Cameron Kim, a junior infielder, said the Titans knows what is needed. "The team understands there is a lot to clean up. If we can clean it up, we'll win a lot more games," he said.

"Our hitting has been just a little bit inconsistent, and our pitching is a little inconsistent too. We've seen both sides of the ball click. Now is the time to get both of those on the same page. If we see that happen, I have a lot of trust in this team to take it to whoever comes to the diamond," said pitcher Mikiah Negrete, who has been the Friday night starter for the last three years.

Fullerton is tied for fourth with CSUN in the Big West standings. Eight of the Titans' losses have come in one-run games, frustrating players and coaches alike.


"Pitching, defense, hitting and base running are the four elements we really preach on. If we can get three out of four or four out of four, we will win more games than not," says head coach Jason Dietrich. 

"We are not where we want to be, but I don't think it's for lack of care or effort. It's more about executing and playing consistent baseball. We haven't played consistent baseball," said Dietrich, who is in his fifth year guiding Fullerton. "We are in almost every single ball game. We are 2-8 in one-run games. That's something that we have to improve on."

The Titans have faced a lot of adversity, said Dietrich, who has had to juggle his lineup because of team injuries and sickness. Senior shortstop and No. 2 hitter Armando Briseno has been out with an injured foot. Multiple players were used at shortstop before junior Cameron Kim moved over from third base.

"The injuries have tested our depth. Younger and more inexperienced guys have had to fill in, and some get overmatched trying to do too much," said Dietrich. "The players have dealt with a lot, but they have learned a lot too. If we can get it all going in the right direction and play better baseball, I like our chances."

"We haven't played our best baseball yet. That's part of the importance of practices – getting them to understand that small details do matter. Some of our fundamentals have not been at a high level. Pitching, defense, hitting and base running are the four elements we really preach on. If we can get three out of four or four out of four, we will win more games than not."

Contreras, Kim and Negrete have all made major contributions to the Titans this season.

The 6-foot-3 Contreras, who hails from Salida in Stanislaus County, is having a monster year both offensively and defensively. He is batting a team-high .385, which ranks second in the Big West. He also leads the club in homers (7), RBI (18) runs (19) and hits (35). Playing right field, he has seven assists and has played errorless ball.

"It's awesome to see where he is now," said Dietrich of Contreras, who hit .259 last season after transferring from Modesto Junior College. "Paul has developed great confidence and plate discipline, and he has become a top hitter and run producer. Plus, his defense has vastly improved.

"He has a power tool, good arm and can run well. Scouts are recognizing that too. He is intense and hates losing. He also really cares about his teammates and coaches."

Contreras takes part in hitting drills and training routines two hours before each practice and seven hours before each home game. Last year, he played for the Duluth Huskies in the Northwoods League, a collegiate summer wooden-bat league. "I had a fun time, with plenty of reps. I spent a lot of time talking and listening to my teammates, learning how to get better. Contreras also credited Titans teammate Cam Burdick with helping him hone his skills as an outfielder.

"Last year, coming from junior college, I was stubborn and tried to throw people out on the fly. In Division 1, we are privileged with these nice fields. I realized that you could make the dirt and the turf work for you. I've gotten a lot better throwing runners out," said Contreras, who is majoring in communications with a concentration in public relations."

The 20-year-old's mental game has improved too, he said. "Sometimes as student-athletes, we have a lot of things in our mind. Sometimes we let our emotions take over instead of just having fun out there. I have mellowed out a lot this year. You can be 4-for-4, but those bats are gone. The next at bat, you are always 0-for-0. All that matters is what the situation is and how you can help you team in that situation."

Cameron Kim transferred last fall from UCLA, where he was saw action at second base and the outfield, At Fullerton, he has been on playing on the left side of the infield.


Cameron Kim is tied for second nationally in doubles with 15. "I never go up there and try to hit a double. I just try to make contact," he says. 

The 6-foot-4 Kim is tied for second in the nation in doubles with 15. He is hitting .264 and is third on the team in hits (29), fourth in RBI (13) and tied for fourth in runs (14).

"Cam came here because he wanted an opportunity to play more. He told me, 'Put me anywhere. I just want to compete for a starting spot.' He started at third base, but we moved him to shortstop because of Briseno's injury. We need all the potential Cam has," said Dietrich.

"He has been a great piece of our puzzle. He has an infectious personality and a great smile. He's done a great job. I'm thankful to have him around."

Kim, 21, whose hometown is Jurupa Valley in northwest Riverside County, said he was happy to help the team by switching positions. "I played shortstop in high school, so it's nothing new to me, But the game is much quicker in D1."

"As a team, we all understand the execution part of baseball, such as doing small ball and hitting with runners in scoring position. We know that it is crucial. It's something we have been working on and getting better."

"I've had a little bad luck of late, hitting the ball hard right to people. I never go up there and try to hit a double. I just try to make contact. I don't have many personal goals. It's more about team goals, and the is buying into that mindset. I think we'll be fine going into the rest of the year," said Kim, who is a sociology major.

Pitching ace Mikiah Negrete is in his third year at Fullerton after transferring from the University of San Diego. The 6-foot-1 lefthander from Oceanside is having his best year as a Titan.

His 1.74 ERA ranks second in the Big West and first on the club. He also leads the Titans in wins (5) and innings pitched (51.2). He has a team-best 54-to-6 strikeout-to-walk ratio, and his batting average against is .251.

Negrete, who is from Oceanside, threw his first collegiate shutout last week at Hawaii. He had a career-high 11 strikeouts in a 2-0 victory. His performance earned him Big West Pitcher of the Week honors.

"Mikiah pitched a great game in Hawaii. He is a bulldog on the mound. He competes his butt off and makes so many good pitches when he needs to," said Dietrich. "It's been wonderful to see him grow and evolve."

"He gives everything he's got for his teammates. He has invested so much and puts in the hard work – routines, weight training, conditioning. It's good to see the fruits of his labor come to fruition."

After dealing with some minor injuries last year, Negrete underwent physical therapy in the summer. "It taught me a lot about my body and how to put myself in the best position. I have a lot of confidence going out there and registering little victories -- things like first-pitch strikes and pitching two out of three," he said, referring to a metric where a pitcher aims to throw at least two strikes within the first three pitches to a batter.

He has a fastball, slider and changeup in his repertoire. "The changeup has seen more usage. I'm moving the ball around and focusing on command of my pitches. That is something that can get you deeper in games."

Being the team's stopper brings extra pressure, the 22-year-old Negrete said. "The pinstripes get a little heavier knowing all the donors, the families, the alums, former coaches and everyone associated with the program. It's exciting but humbling. It's an honor to pitch for Cal State Fullerton on Friday nights knowing what those before us have done and accomplished."


Mikiah Negrete is a bulldog on the mound, says head coach Jason Dietrich. "Mikiah competes his butt off and makes so many good pitches when he needs to." 

"Our coaches do a great job of teaching. They are always big on that. Whether we win or lose, they're asking what we could do better. Jason Dietrich is absolutely a great coach." Negrete added that two first-year staff members – assistant director of operations Bryan Evans and assistant coach Tony Schifano operations -- were great additions to the team.

"Many of the games come down to a single swing or pitch. Getting over those humps with the pitching and offense and getting guys to finish is critical. When everything clicks, we are going to be in a good spot," said

Negrete, who is an economics major. Like Contreras and Kim, he wants to give professional baseball a try.

With six weekends of conference play left, Fullerton can still achieve its primary ambitions, Dietrich said. "Our goals each year are to win the Big West regular season title and conference championship. We need to take one game at a time and see where we are at that point."

"I told the players, 'If you want to achieve these goals, take a step back and understand the importance of what lies ahead.' "

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