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Toros Alumni Prove Experience Trumps Youth in Taking Down 2008 Squad, 16-13

Carson, CA – It was a sunny Sunday when the past met up with the present as the current Toros baseball squad took on those who came before them in the 2008 baseball alumni game, only to have the former Toros show the youngsters that with age comes experience as the alums handed the current Toros squad a 16-13 defeat in a friendly afternoon contest.

The current Toros made the walk over to the third base dugout to play the visitors in deference to their older counterparts, and Cody Puckett picked up right where he left off against Cal State L.A. last weekend by blasting a two-run shot of alumni southpaw starter John Gutierrez.

The alumni saw the 2008 Toros score two runs in the top of the 1st, but called and raised them six more in their at-bat, pushing across eight total runs in the bottom of the inning to take an 8-2 lead.

After alumnus Dr. Chris Ingstad sent the current Toros down in order in the 2nd, the alumni bats once again went to work in the 3rd, scoring four more runs.

Both squads added a pair of runs in the 4th to make it 13-3 alums, before the current squad added one in the 5th, and three in the top of the 6th, courtesy of a Jeff Cullen blast down the right field line for a three-run shot to cut the 2008 deficit to 13-7.

With the alums taking a 15-10 lead heading into the bottom of the 7th, they looked to add more to their lead after scoring a single run by loading the bases, but current Toro Evan Jachno struck out A.J. Gomez to end the threat, keeping the 2008 squad in striking distance at 16-10.

Down 16-11 in the top of the 9th, any chance of a comeback by the 2008 squad rested squarely on the shoulders of the pitching staff after all the current position players were expended during the tough CSULA series.

The hurlers took their hacks and scored two runs to come within three at 16-13, but their collective sticks just didn't have enough pop to quite get the job done.

“It is always great to reconnect with the guys who went through all the blood, sweat, and tears with you,” begins former Toro skipper George Wing, who dawned the head coaching cap for the alumni squad.  “But it is even better to see them now as parents, husbands, and people who are talking about careers, and to hear how the preparation during their time as a student-athlete prepared them for life.”

“The 2008 version of the CSUDH Alumni Baseball game was a wild and exciting event,” responded current head coach Murphy Su'a.  “It was such a pleasure to meet and mingle with the Toros of the past, along with their families and a few newborn babies.  I was quite impressed with the number of alums that attended and participated, and even more impressed with their ability to play.  It was neat to see coach George 'Skip' Wing doing what he did so well for so many years in a Toro uniform in the home dugout.  It was also great to hear a voice from the past as current Athletic Director Pat Guillen announced the batters as he did for many years as our SID.
 
“Our current Toros got to see the faces of those that set the groundwork for this program,” Su'a continued.  “It's an honor to have these former players (some who became CSUDH assistant coaches) and head coach George Wing return and share their time and talents with our current players.  I am forever grateful for their participation and look forward to our next get-together.
 
“We plan on having an Alumni Cardinal & Gold game in the fall that will coincide with our Baseball Luau in late September,” Su'a concludes.  “Teams will be divided by the last year they played as a Toro - even years versus odd years, with our annual alumni game slated for sometime in early February 2009.  We look forward to meeting many more former players and their families throughout the years.”

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