Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

Cal State Dominguez Hills Athletics

Upcoming Events & Results

Composite Calendar
FloSports
Tommy Lasorda and the 2009 Toros baseball team

Baseball

Toros Make Tommy Lasorda Proud, Use Timely Comebacks to Upstage No. 6 Tritons With 8-5 & 5-1 Wins

Baseball hall-of-famer Tommy Lasorda and the Toros baseball team
Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
Carson, CA -- The Cal State Dominguez Hills baseball team used the inspirational words of baseball hall-of-famer Tommy Lasorda to stage a seventh inning comeback that would erase a deficit and knot the Toros the win at 8-5 in game one. In game two, the No. 6 Tritons mistakingly walked powerhitter Jon Alia to set up a sixth inning comeback that would go into a 5-1 win.

"I don't know who you are playing and I don't even care who you are playing," stated baseball hall-of-famer Tommy Lasorda prior to the games start. "What matters is that you play for yourself and go out there and get a win."

The Toros did just that, following a John Skala double to score their first run of the game as Skala would eventually see home on a balk after getting on base to give CSUDH its first point of the game.

With a deficit of 5-3 in the seventh, Alia would belt a deep right-field double with the bases juiced to bring home three more for the Toros and secure them the eventual win at 8-3.

Though not recording the win, starter Matt Hopps saw duties on the mound after taking a few weeks break for rest. Hopps fanned two of his batters in his four innings of duty before giving the hill to relief pitcher Danny Torres who would guide CSUDH to the win after four innings of holding the Tritons scoreless and scattering only four hits. Once again becoming a ninth-frame staple on the hill, Paul-Michael Klingsberg saw action in the final inning of play to pick up his fourth save of the season while fanning one of his batters.

In the day's nightcap, an intentional walk of Alia in the 1-1 tied sixth inning would give way to two straight walks from the Tritons pitching squad that would force two runs home for the Toros. It seemed it just wasn't UCSD's day as a two passed balls would score two more to give CSUDH the win at 5-1.

Despite not being the pitcher of record in game two, David Fair had his biggest game to date with a total of 5.1 innings of action, while sending two of his batters packing. Fair dramatically lowered his ERA in the appearance, giving up no earned runs in his 21 batters faced.

Taking the win in game two was Matt Phillips who ended the day with a perfect K, sending his batter back to the dugout looking. The strikout marked Phillips only fan in his 1.2 innings of duty.

Leading the charge on the day was Alia who went 2-of-6 with three RBIs. These three RBIs would also bring Alia's season total to 64 which eclipses the single-season record of 61 previously held by Fred Hanker, set in 1987. #Andrew Baslow went 6-of-8 with two doubles and a single RBI while Skala had two RBIs of his own on 2-of-5 batting.

Overall the Toros connected on 19 pitches in thier 55 at-bats while allowing the Tritons only 14 of their own. Despite two CSUDH fielding errors, both in game two, CSUDH was able to hold UCSD's runners on base, stranding nine of them in the day.

As Lasorda concluded in his confidence building talk, "No matter what position you are at you need to play better than the guy on the other team, because when you believe it, you will be better than the other team." As they took on the No. 6 Tritons today, the Toros believed it and without a doubt were the better team.

Now with an 27-18 record (16-12 CCAA) the Toros will take to Toro Field this upcoming week as they host Cal State Monterey Bay in their final home series of the year. The first game is set for Friday, April 24 at 3:00pm.
Print Friendly Version