Toros Clinch CCAA Tournament Berth in 4-3 Finale Win Over No. 29 Wildcats

Box Score

CHICO -- Heading home with three-of-four games taken from No. 29 Chico State, the Cal State Dominguez Hills baseball team not only tied last year's win total of 34 but clinched their second-straight berth in the CCAA Tournament after a 4-3 win over the Wildcats. Kevin Pillar knocked the only extra-base hit for the Toros, a double in the eighth, while also driving in a run early in the game.

Neither the hosts nor the Toros could find a groove in the first third of play as both team struggled to reach base, with each team grabbing three total bases through the first three frames.

That all changed in the fourth as the Toros led off with an Abel Medina double that eventually saw him score on Pillar's first hit of the game, an RBI single to center.

Chico wasted little time responding, scoring two earned and one unearned run in the bottom of the fourth, collecting all three runs in one inning.

CSUDH, however, replied by grabbing two more in the fifth on a Kyle Pond 2RBI single to right to knot the game at three, before initiating the eventual game-winning rally in their final at-bat of the game.

With every game close in the hotly contested four-game series, nothing changed in the ninth of the finale as the Toros utilized small ball for the game-winner as a Dean Benavidez single, Carlos Leyva sacrifice bunt and Andrew Baslow RBI single combined to give CSUDH the game at 4-3, and three of four wins on the road.

Starting in action, Shane Youngdale worked 6.1 innings and fanned two batters while giving Chico all their runs, exiting the contest with a no-decision.

The win went to Matt Phillips who, in 2.2 frames, faced only nine batters, striking out four while scattering only one hit.

In stark contrast to the previous two days, the 'Cats sent only two hurlers to the mound, with Phillips Hymas taking the loss after 3.1 innings of work and two strikeouts.

Starring on the offensive end was Benavidez who went three-for-four with three singles, while Pillar went two-for-four, extending his current game hit-streak to 43 straight games.

The Toros, now 34-11 overall and 24-8 in the CCAA, will take on No. 4 UC San Diego, starting the series on the road in La Jolla on April 22 at 3:00pm.

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