CARSON -- Offense was a plenty for Cal State Dominguez Hills this afternoon as the Toros pounded out 18 hits including two home runs in a 9-1 (5) and 7-3 sweep of 11th-ranked Humboldt State to take a 3-1 series lead with tomorrow morning's finale set for 10:00 am. Sophomore Emiley McEwen drove in 7 runs on 3 hits, including a towering 3-run blast in the opener.
After surviving an HSU threat in the top of the 1st that included a blast that hit the top of the center field fence and bounced back into play, the Toros exploded for four runs in the first, the big blasts courtesy of an Amber Angel home run that knocked starter Gracie Perez from the game after just two-thirds of an inning, and three 'Jack errors.
Each team added a solo run before the Toros again exploded for four in the bottom of the 4th, including a 3-run jack by the reigning CCAA Freshman of the Year in McEwen, putting the game away in the 9-1 win.
Freshman pitcher Stephanie Jimenez won her second-straight against HSU, fanning 3 against no walks as McEwen enjoyed a home run and 5 RBI, with Angel also going deep, her second of the year.
The nightcap was more of the same as the Toros staked starter Wendy Espindola to a 5-run lead after three innings of play, the big blow courtesy of a Caitlin McGrath 2RBI single in the 3rd.
The 'Jacks, however, did not go quietly into the good afternoon, notching their first run of the day in the 5th to knock Espindola from the game and, after CSUDH replied with two runs on two HSU wild pitches from reliever Gracie Perez in its 5th-inning at-bat, two more one inning later on a Lindsay Warren home run to cut their deficit to 7-3.
That would be as good as it would get for HSU, however, as Jimenez hurled the final 2.2 innings to pick up her first save as a Toro, as the Jacks dropped to 2-4, 1-3 CCAA.
The 5-inning opener marked the first time since March 7, 2009, when HSU was on the short end of the run-rule after Academy of Art handed the 'Jacks an 11-3 loss.
Katie Garcia went 4-for-6 with 4 runs scored, while Katie Jordan enjoyed a 3-for-6 effort for the Toros, also with 4 runs scored.
CSUDH, now 5-1, 3-1 CCAA, and the Jacks will meet for the final time in the regular season tomorrow morning, with first pitch set for 10:00 am on Toro Diamond.
