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Toros Take Down No. 17 Cal State L.A. in Twinbill Sweep, 4-3 in Opener and 13-12 in Nightcap

Cody Puckett blasts a pair of runs in the nightcap

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Game 1    Game 2

Carson, CA - It was a pair of tight battles between the Golden Eagles and the Toros as CSUDH got a little help from the sun in the opener to squeak out a 4-3 win, following the low-scoring affair by out-muscling CSULA in the nightcap, 13-12, to sweep the afternoon twinbill and take a 3-to-1 series win over No. 17  Cal State L.A.  With the victories CSUDH improves to 3-4, and Cal State L.A. falls to 4-4.

In the opener it was a battle between Golden Eagle starter Jon Mitchell and Toro starter David Leyva, as each hurler gave up single runs in the first inning and then settled into a rhythm.

CSUDH took its first lead in the bottom of the 3rd when senior catcher Martin Conde laced a double down the right field line, which was followed two batters later by an RBI single to center by Eric Blackwell to give CSUDH a 2-1 lead.

The Golden Eagles pushed across a single run in the 4th to tie the game and looked poised to break the game open in the 5th when they loaded the bases with no outs.

Leyva, however, got leadoff hitter Joe Park to hit into a 6-4-3 double play which pushed across one CSULA run, and then got the next batter to foul out to the third baseman to end the threat.

Both bullpens shut the offenses down over the next few innings and CSUDH was still down 3-2 heading into the bottom of the 9th.

With runners on first and second and two out, a costly CSULA fielding error allowed Cody Puckett to reach base and load the bases.

Jon Alia stepped into the batter's box and, with the game on the line, popped the first pitch he saw between the mound and the shortstop for what looked like the final out of the game.  However, the afternoon sun at Toro Field was blazing directly into the infielders' eyes, and the ball landed harmlessly on the ground, allowing two runs to score and the Toros to steal the victory.

Lost in the final decision was a pair of strong starting pitching performance by Leyva, who tallied 7.1 innings and allowed just four hits and two earned runs, and Mitchell, who lasted 6.0 innings, allowed two runs, six hits and no walks.

Game two looked like both teams were riding a merry-go-round around the bases with neither team able to hold a lead, as the offenses exploded for a combined 21 runs over the first three innings of play.

With CSUDH down 11-10 in the bottom of the 5th, Puckett took the second pitch he saw and blasted it deep over the left field fence for his second bomb of the game to tie the game at 11-11, after which the Golden Eagle pen issued back-to-back bases loaded walks to give the Toros a 13-11 lead.

The Golden Eagles had one last offensive gasp in them in the top of the 7th as Chris Lloyd hit a one-out single to start the rally.  One batter later, Darrick Hale reached on a Toro fielding error, and was moved to 3B for the potential tying run after Tyler Warmerdam followed with an RBI single to center.

However, Danny Torres came in from the pen and slammed the door shut with a strikeout for his first save of the season.

Puckett led the offensive charge by going 2-3 with 3 RBIs and three runs scored, as reliever David Fair picked up the win, tossing 3.2 innings and allowing one run on four hits while striking out two.

The Toros take to the air next, making the trip across the Pacific to take on Hawai'i Pacific for a six-game set in Honolulu before returning home on March 1 to host a twinbill against Cal State San Bernardino.
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