Game One Goes to Toros in 4-3 Victory to Open Series

Senior Shane Youngdale picked up his sixth win of the season

CARSON -- With both teams closing out their regular seasons playing for the love of the game, visiting Cal State Monterey Bay battled host Cal State Dominguez Hills pitch for pitch and at-bat for at-bat, and the result was a hard-fought 4-3 win for the Toros in a tough CCAA battle. Senior Shane Youngdale settled down after the first to pitch within one out of his first complete game of the season.

The Otters jumped on the board first, scoring two runs in the top of the first on three hits including a leadoff double. CSUDH responded by cutting its deficit in half in a wild bottom of the first which saw three baserunners and a run score on a double steal.

A leadoff double in the bottom of the second by senior Matt Faigh led to the game tying run, with Faigh being singled over and scoring on a wild pitch.

A scoreless third inning was followed by a one run bottom of the fourth, as the Toros took a 3-2 lead. After a one-out walk to junior Oscar Soriano, he was sacrificed and scored on a two-out single by Carlos Leyva.

Toros starter Youngdale was brillant after a rough first inning, not allowing another hit until there were two outs in the top of the seventh.

Neither team was able to score until a no-doubt-about-it blast over the left field fence by Jonathan Keener extended the lead to two runs at 4-2 through seven innings.

A wild top of the eighth allowed CSUMB to score one with a hit, an error and fielder's interference accounting for the game's final score.

With two outs in the top of the ninth CSUMB gathered three straight singles to load the bases before senior Michael Cruz came in to strike out the last Otter and earn his fourth save of the game.

Leyva, Keener and Kyle Pond each had two hits on the afternoon while Youngdale got his sixth win of the season.

Senior Kevin Pillar, who went 1-for-3 with a single, broke the CSUDH record for total bases in a career with his baseknock, one of many he holds in a stellar four-year outing.

The Toros and Otters will continue their CCAA series with a May 7 doubleheader, beginning at 11:00am on Toro Field. The game will be broadcast live via the Toro Sports Network at www.GoToros.com/live.

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