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Two-Out Rallies Guide Toros to 13-5 Victory Over No. 5 Chico State

Junior Jonathan Keener drilled a 3-R home run this afternoon

CARSON -- Thanks to several two-out rallies and some early shutdown pitching, the Cal State Dominguez Hills Toros took the opening game of its CCAA series against No. 5 Chico State 13-5.  CSUDH catcher Jonathan Keener was instrumental in the huge victory as he hit a three-run homer and turned a key double play.

This marks the third time in five games that CSUDH has put up at least 10 runs after scoring 11 twice in two wins over Cal State L.A. in its last series.

In the bottom of the first inning, the Toros (14-18, 10-15 CCAA) threatened with runners on the corners with two out before the Wildcats escaped without any damage.  CSUC (16-4, 10-3 CCAA) placed a runner at third with only one out in the top of the third before a failed squeeze turned into a great double play by CSUDH catcher Keener to end the inning.

With the huge momentum swing, the Toros capitalized thanks to a two-out, two-run no-doubt home run off the bat of senior Kevin Pillar to left field to give CSUDH a 2-0 lead after three innings.  The Toros added another two-out run, this time after a single off the bat of right fielder Oscar Soriano after a double by Kyle Pond.

Over the first six innings of work, starter Shane Youngdale was brilliant, allowing only two hits and no runs.  In the bottom of the sixth, the CSUDH lead grew to 4-0 with a two-out double by Pond driving in Drew Rodela, who walked with two outs to start the rally.

The Wildcats finally got to Youngdale in his seventh inning of work, scoring two runs on three hits to cut the lead in half at 4-2. CSUDH responded with three hits scoring four runs, all with two outs, off an RBI single by Pillar and a three-run blast over the left center fence by Keener to break the game open to 8-4 after seven complete.

What appeared to be a blowout turned into a game with another Wildcat rally off Youngdale, this time to the tune of three runs in the top of the eighth to close the gap to 8-5.  However, the Toros responded with five two-out runs in the bottom half of the inning, highlighted by a grand slam by Abel Medina.

The CSUDH 3-4-5 hitters drilled eight hits, three homers, scored eight runs and drove in 11 runs on the afternoon while Danny Torres notched his second save of the season.

The Toros and Wildcats will continue their CCAA series Saturday, April 2, with a doubleheader set to begin at 11:00am.


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