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Toros Survive Nightcap in Forging Split at San Francisco State
4/23/2009 3:12:08 PM
San Francisco, CA -- Needing to sweep both of today's games to solidify their spot as the No. 7 team in the NCAA West Region after splitting yesterday's twinbill, Cal State Dominguez Hills nearly got swept after falling 3-2 in the opener, but Regina Farfan entered game two with the bases loaded and a one-run lead, and induced a harmless grounder to first to salvage a split with San Francisco State in the 2-1 nightcap win.
In the game two thriller, the Toros struck first after Farfan's fielder's choice plated Liz Vazquez, who smacked an opposite field double down the right field line.
SFSU replied in its second inning at-bat on a Monica Amburgey base hit that was eventually cashed in on a Toro fielder error.
CSUDH, however, found its resolve three innings later after the Gators gave the Toros a run back after a throwing error allowed Jessica Marlow to cross home plate after being hit by a pitch to open the frame.
The score stood at 2-1 when the Gators loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh off reliever Tanaka, forcing Farfan to re-enter the game in relief to face Alyssa Esquibel, who was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate in the nightcap. Farfan, however, was more than up to the challenge, inducing Esquibel to ground harmlessly to first base to pick up a huge Toro win, and the first save of the 2009 season.
In the early game, the Toros struck in their first at-bat in the opener as an Amber Angel RBI double plated Katie Garcia, who led off the game with a single to left field.
SFSU replied with two runs of its own in the bottom of the first, however, to take the lead for good as a Lea Cardenas double and Esquibel single, both to right field, brought home the Gators' first two runs.
After SFSU scored a run in the sixth on a Kelly McDonald RBI double, the Toros had one last gasp in the seventh as a Tanaka one-out double set the stage for Katie Jordan, whose single brought home pinch-runner Michelle Miranda to cut the lead to a single run.
With runners on first and second and one out, however, Gator starter Ashley Jackson finished what she started by fanning the next two Toros to give the hosts the nail-biter.
Toro starter Farfan threw just 2.1 innings of work in taking the loss (25-13), while her counterpart improved to 16-9 with the complete game win.
The Toros, now 36-19, 17-11 CCAA, conclude their CCAA regular season at CS Stanislaus on Friday and Saturday, with CCAA and NCAA postseason berths on the line.
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