Carson, CA -- Numerology made its presence felt in a big way for the 2007 Toros season home opener as Araceli Martinez (Downey, CA/Warren HS) capped an improbable 4-3 come-from-behind game one win over visiting Cal State Monterey Bay, while CSUDH's bats awoke early and rode junior Jennifer Martinez's (La Habra, CA/Cal State Long Beach) no-hitter in the 8-0, five-inning nightcap win.
Both pitchers started strong in the opener, allowing just three hits combined over the first 3 innings of play. The Otters got to Toros starter J. Martinez in the 4th, however, as a Megan Russo double followed a one-out walk to Jill Artoff, after which an Ashlee Trotter sacrifice fly brought home the game's first run. A Jessica Boyle RBI single gave CSUMB a 2-0 lead, and a Jill Wardle sacrifice fly one inning later increased the Otter lead to 3-0.
That's where the score stood until the bottom of the 7th when consecutive one-out singles and a huge Otter error gave CSUDH its first two runs of the game. With pinch-runner Jessica Marlow (Huntington Beach, CA/Edison HS) on 1st, Mayra Oliden (Los Angeles, CA/Cerritos JC) stung a sharp single to center to advance Marlow one base, after which a J. Martinez baseknock knotted the game at 3-3. Then, senior A. Martinez, who wears No. 4 and plays 2B (the “4” position), brought in the 4th run of the inning and of the game for the Toros to give CSUDH the thrilling 4-3 win.
J. Martinez (4-3) went 3-for-4 at the plate while Oliden contributed two hits in the win. CSUMB starter Boyle (3-4) pitched 6 strong innings, but faltered in the decisive 7th.
In the nightcap, CSUDH used patience to score in the 1st as three walks and a two singles gave the Toros a 2-0 lead. That's where the score remained until the 3rd when CSUDH scored four times to put the game away, the big blow coming on an Akemi Fleming (Long Beach, CA/Millikan HS) bases-clearing double down the left field line. After an A. Martinez sacrifice fly accounted for the 4th and final run of the frame to give CSUDH a 6-0 lead, solo home runs by J. Martinez in the 4th and Christine Bathauer (Torrance, CA/West HS) in the 5th gave CSUDH an 8-0 win via the run rule.
J. Martinez was brilliant in the nightcap, allowing no hits while facing just one batter over the minimum for a 5-inning contest, while Katie Boss (0-1), however, failed to get out of the 1st for the Otters. At the plate, J. Martinez she went 2-for-2 with 2 RBI in the late game to wind up with two wins and five hits on the afternoon.
The Toros continue CCAA action against the Otters tomorrow afternoon, with first pitch of game one scheduled for 11:00 am on Toro Diamond.
