Toros Drop 6-3 12-Inning Contest to Azusa Pacific

Box Score

CARSON -- After tying the score in both the bottom of the ninth and 11th innings of play, the third time wasn't the charm after Azusa Pacific's Jordan Leyland connected for his second home run of the day, a 3-run shot to give the Cougars a 12 inning, 6-3 win.

The Toros are now 4-8 overall, while the Cougars improve with an 11-5 overall record.

Cal State Dominguez Hills pitched six different pitchers on the afternoon, beginning with Sean Wardour, who threw the first two that included Leyland's first blast for a quick 1-0 lead in the top of the first.

Azusa Pacific brought in another run in the fourth inning to bring their lead to 2-0 through eight innings. Starting pitcher for the Cougars was freshman Zachary Hedges, who threw 7.3 innings and fanned nine Toro batters.

In the eighth Nick Plantz doubled down the left field line to lead of the bottom of the inning. Danny Torres pinch ran and scored after two groundouts brought him to third and then to home plate.

Drew Rodela, who led the Toro team once again after hitting 3-for-4 with two doubles, led off the ninth with a single to left center. Pinch running for Rodela was Danny Haley, who advanced to third on a wild pitch. After two consecutive strikeouts, the chances of getting back in the game were slim, but when pinch hitter Ray Patchen (pictured) hit a single through the left side for his first collegiate hit to score Haley, it brought new life to the Toro team.

Hector Gomez, who pitched a total of 3.1 innings for the hosts, gave up a run to the Cougars in the 11th inning, right before the Toros matched it once again with Haley leading off with a walk and advancing to third after a groundout by Chris Allen and a flyout by Ellis Whitman.

Unfortunately, Gomez got into trouble in the 12th after putting two men on base before pitching to Leyland, who got a hold of his second homerun of the night to bring Azusa Pacific to a 6-3 lead and win over the Toros.

The Cal State Dominguez Hills baseball team will be back in action tomorrow afternoon for an exhibition game against an amateur team from Japan.

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