Toros Sweep Pioneers in Tale of Two Games

CARSON -- One took a dramatic extra-inning comeback, while the other was completed after five innings. However divergent these two games were, both resulted in key league victories for Cal State Dominguez Hills over visiting Cal State East Bay as the Toros improved to 15-9, 10-8 CCAA after 7-6 and 9-0 wins. Freshman Stephanie Jimenez picked up both wins, including a one-hit masterpiece in the nightcap.

The Toros spotted the visitors a four-run lead in the opener, before finally getting on the board in the sixth on a Rose Vargas RBI single.

After CSUEB answered with a run in the 7th to make it a 5-1 game, CSUDH exploded with four runs in their 7th inning at-bat, but big blows coming on a Pioneer error and a 2RBI single by Michelle Miranda with runners on second and third.

The Pioneers again answered with a single run in the 8th, and looked to have the game in hand after the Toros got runners to second and third with none out, but watched CSUEB starter Lauren Zweigle induce a foul out and ground out to CSUDH's two hottest hitters in Emiley McEwen and Amber Angel.

Caitlin McGrath, however, had other ideas as her base hit off the glove of diving second baseman Sarah Hasenfus plated both runners home for the dramatic win.

Jimenez picked up the win after tossing 7.0 innings, allowing 4 earned runs with 6 strikeouts against no walks, with McGrath's two hits and three RBI leading a 15-hit CSUDH attack that saw seven Toros enjoy two hits apiece in the win.

The nightcap was an entirely different story as the Toros jumped out to a 4-0 lead after one, a 5-0 lead after two and a 9-0 lead after four, the big blows coming on a Jessica Hall two-RBI single in the first, and RBIs by McGrath, Miranda, Hall and Jessica Marlow in the fourth, including the final of two Pioneer errors that saw them fall to 4-14, 4-14 CCAA.

That was plenty for Jimenez, who limited the visitors to one hit and one walk while facing the minimum 12 batters over four innings of work.

The Toros, now 15-9, 10-8 CCAA, host CSUEB for the final two games of the regular season series tomorrow morning, with first pitch of game one set for an 11:00 am start on Toro Diamond.

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