Carson, CA – The Toros were on cruise control heading into the final inning until consecutive fielding errors opened the flood gates and gave visiting Pace University seven unearned runs in the 9th, and an 11-10 non-conference win on Wednesday afternoon at Toro Field, despite two home runs each by Michael Craig (Rolling Hills, CA/Pepperdine University) and Cody Puckett (Apple Valley, CA/Hesperia HS). With the loss the Toros fall to 8-18-1, and Pace University improves to 6-8.

Puckett would get the Toros off on the right foot in the 1st with a leadoff shot over the fence in left center field, followed by solo shot by Craig one batter later to give CSUDH an early 2-0 lead.

After tacking on a single run in the 2nd on a sacrifice fly by Jerit Coleman (Long Beach, CA/Long Beach CC), the Toros used a double down the right field line by Brian Sturgis (Hawthorne, CA/Mira Costa HS) in the 4th, followed by a pair of sacrifice flies by Coleman and Puckett to give CSUDH a 6-0 lead.

Pace would get on the board in the top of the 5th when Joe Barracato and Andre Liscinsky led off the inning with back-to-back triples off CSUDH starter Clay Young (Pasadena, CA/Glendale CC) to cut the lead to 6-1, spoiling the one-hitter and shutout Young had working through the first four innings.

The Setters would add two more runs in the inning, the first on a sacrifice fly to right and the second on a double to center by Matt Rigoli.

Craig again brought out the big bat in the bottom of the 5th for his second bomb of the day, this time to left field, but the Setters would counter with a single run of their own in the top of the 6th.

With the Toros ahead 7-4 in the top of the 9th, Pace chopped down the Toros lead, scoring seven runs on four hits, and taking advantage of three Toro errors to put the Setters up 11-7.

CSUDH would not go quietly in the bottom of the inning as Puckett again led off an inning with a solo shot, this time to left field.

With two outs in the inning, Chris Hunter (Vallejo, CA/Vallejo HS) reached first on a fielder's choice, and proceeded to steal second. Dustin Hicks (Lake Forest, CA/Crichton College) then hit a fly ball to left that should have ended the game, but Pace's left fielder dropped the fly ball allowing Hunter to score and Hicks to reach second.

Mateo Marquez (Biggs, CA/Cal State L.A.) next stepped into the box and hit a ground ball to the shortstop that was booted, allowing pinch runner MurphiBennett Kennedy (Los Angeles, CA/Mission College) to first reach third, and then score on a Scott Moore (Redondo Beach, CA/Cal State L.A.) RBI single to right to bring CSUDH within one at 11-10.

Setter reliever MacKenzie King, however, would regroup and get the next Toro batter to ground out to the second baseman to seal the come-from-behind win.

King earned the win, tossing 2.0 innings of relief and allowing three runs on two hits, while at the plate, Jack Cawley garnered game-high honors with four hits, while Barracato and Liscinsky chipped in three and two hits, respectively.

Craig paced CSUDH with three hits, while Puckett, Moore, and Sturgis each had two hits in the heartbreaker.

CSUDH starter Young received the no decision, tossing 5.0 solid innings and allowing three runs on five hits while striking out seven batters.

CSUDH will next be in action on Friday, March 23 when they travel to Grand Canyon University, before returning home on Saturday, March 31 to host UC San Diego.