Seabold, Cullen Omaha bound

Newport Harbor High product Connor Seabold’s postseason pitching heroics continued Monday for Cal State Fullerton, which defeated host Louisville to advance to the College World Series.

Seabold, a member of the Titans weekend rotation the last four weeks, allowed five hits and two runs (one earned), in five innings of the deciding game of the best-of-three Super Regional in Kentucky. The freshman right-hander was not involved in the decision as the Titans (39-23), topped the Cardinals, 4-3, in 11 innings.

Seabold, who earned the victory in the clinching game of the Fullerton Regional against Pepperdine the previous week, has now allowed one earned run in 11 innings of his two postseason starts (an earned-run average of 0.82).

In his last five starts, beginning with a no-decision in a loss to UCLA on May 12, Seabold is 3-0 with a 1.27 ERA in 28 1/3 innings. During that stretch, he has allowed 23 hits while striking out 31 and walking eight.

Seabold, who was drafted in the 19th round (No. 571) by the Baltimore Orioles last June, became the Titans’ No. 3 starter after Justin Garza sustained a season-ending arm injury.

Seabold, a two-time All-Newport-Mesa Dream Team honoree who was a first-team All-Sunset League center fielder in 2014, is 5-3 with one save and a 2.84 ERA for the season. In 66 2/3 innings, he has allowed 63 hits while striking out 74 and walking 12. He has made 21 appearances, including 10 starts.

Also contributing to the Titans’ 17th trip to Omaha, where the four-time NCAA champions will open the College World Series on Sunday at 5 p.m. on ESPN2 against defending national champion Vanderbilt (47-10) at TD Ameritrade Park, is Corona del Mar High product Hunter Cullen.

Cullen, a two-year varsity performer at CdM who played last season at Saddleback Community College, was three for three in the postseason, before going hitless in his one at-bat Monday. Cullen, a left-handed hitting sophomore who has made three starts, all during the regular season, has appeared in 47 games. He is batting .225 for the season in 40 at-bats. He has four runs batted in, one double and has scored six times.

Cal State Fullerton has also been bolstered by a pair of former UC Irvine assistant coaches.

Titans pitching coach Jason Dietrich spent five seasons at UCI from 2008-2012, the final two as the Anteaters’ pitching coach.

Former Titans standout and current assistant Chad Baum was an assistant at UCI in 2005 and 2006 under then-coach Dave Serrano.

— Barry Faulkner