OMAHA, Neb. -- After watching David Bacani lead Cal State-Fullerton over Tulane in the College World Series, coach George Horton was trying to figure out a way to keep the senior second baseman around for a few more seasons.

"Maybe we'll change his name next year and bring him back under an alias," Horton said Tuesday after Bacani homered twice, drove in five runs and made a number of outstanding defensive plays in the Titans' 11-2 victory in the elimination game.

"Apparently he didn't want his season to end today," Horton said. "And I don't want his season to end."

Freshman Darric Merrell allowed two unearned runs, six hits, struck out four and walked three in a solid pitching performance for the Titans.

"Fullerton just was outstanding in every phase of the game today," Tulane coach Rick Jones said. "I wish Bacani had stayed back at the hotel. He was a one-man wrecking crew. And Merrell did a super job on the mound."

Merrell (8-4) lost a bid for the first College World Series shutout in five years when he gave up two unearned runs in the eighth inning.

"I didn't try to do anything different from what I did all year -- just stay calm and do what I've done all year," said Merrell, who had allowed 16 earned runs in his last three starts. "This one, I felt great. And right off the bat, I threw strikes."

Cal State-Fullerton will play Stanford on Wednesday night in a rematch of Sunday's 5-2, 10-inning victory by the Cardinal. And a lot of the credit has to go to Bacani, the Titans' 5-foot-8 spark plug.

"David's a warrior and has been ever since he walked onto our campus," Horton said. "He's all about winning. And the way you've seen him here at the College World Series is the way he's played throughout his career. We call him Mighty Mouse and he plays like he's 6-foot-6."

The loss ended Tulane's first trip to the College World Series. The Green Wave (56-13) were the nation's winningest team and lost to Stanford in the series opener, but eliminated fellow first-timer Nebraska on Sunday to set up the matchup with Cal State-Fullerton.

"I'm proud of our club and I'm proud to be coach of this team," Jones said. "I'm disappointed the season ended today, but you just have to tip your hat to them."

Merrell hadn't allowed a hit since the third inning when the Green Wave finally broke through against him in the eighth.

Anthony Giarratano reached on third baseman Shawn Norris' fielding error. One out later, Jon Kaplan and Andy Cannizaro hit consecutive singles to load the bases. Jake Gautreau hit an RBI groundout, James Jurries walked and Michael Aubrey, who started on the mound and was the designated hitter, hit an RBI single to make it 8-2.

"He had good stuff today," Gautreau said of Merrell. "He hit his spots when he needed to. He was really competitive."

The Titans added three more runs against Barth Melius in the ninth. Aaron Rifkin hit an RBI double, Chris Stringfellow had a sacrifice fly and Matt Belfanti hit a pinch-hit RBI single to make it 11-2.

Cal State-Fullerton took a 2-0 lead in the second off Aubrey (3-1) on an RBI double by Stringfellow and an RBI single by Louie Lamoure, who went 3-for-3.

Brett Kay hit a one-out single, stole second and scored on Stringfellow's double one out later. Lamoure's blooper to center drove in Stringfellow to make it 2-0.

The Titans manufactured a run in the third to make it 3-0. Norris walked to lead off the inning and moved to second on Bacani's bunt single. Norris moved to third on Robert Guzman's sacrifice, and scored on Jason Corapci's sacrifice fly to center.

Bacani broke it open for Cal State-Fullerton in the fourth with a three-run homer. Stringfellow drew a one-out walk and moved to third on Lamoure's double. One out later, Bacani drove a 1-1 pitch into the bleachers in left-center field to make it 6-0.

Aubrey gave up six runs, eight hits, struck out five and walked four in 6 1-3 innings.

Bacani added a two-run homer off Melius in the eighth. Three of his seven homers this season have come at Rosenblatt Stadium.

"I don't think it's the park, in particular," Bacani said. "I think I just got hot at the right time. I'm hitting confidently right now."

Cal State-Fullerton's Tim Dixon and Mark Chavez combined for the last shutout at the College World Series in the semifinals against Tennessee during the Titans' 1995 championship season.