De la Fuente Throws Complete-Game Gem in 8-2 Win Over No. 18 UC San Diego on "Think Pink" Day

Box Score

CARSON -- Senior Dimitri De la Fuente tossed an 11 strikeout, 6-hit complete-game gem over 115 pitches as Cal State Dominguez Hills snapped a five-game skid with a convincing 8-2 win over No. 18 UC San Diego to even the regular season series at 1-1 on "Think Pink" day, with a twinbill in La Jolla set for tomorrow afternoon.

With the win, CSUDH improves to 4-7, 1-5 CCAA and picks up its first win over a ranked team in six tries after being swept by No. 11 Chico State and dropping yesterday's opener.

UCSD, meanwhile, falls to 9-4, 4-2 CCAA.

The Tritons looked to continue their momentum from yesterday's win by scoring single runs in the first two innings.

The Toros, however, had other ideas after being stifled by Triton ace Ryan Goodbrand in the opener as Danny Haley turned on a 1-1 offering by UCSD starter Justin Rahn in the second, driving in Aaron Gray and Carlos Avila to knot the game at 2-2.

CSUDH took its first lead of the series three innings later after David Steininger was plunked to open the frame moved to second on a sacrifice and to third on a fly out, eventually scoring on a Bubby Rossman single to right-center.

The Toros broke the game open in the 7th, sending 10 men to the plate and belting 4 hits in the 5-run frame, the big blows coming on an Avila 2RBI double, and a Triton error that allowed three unearned runs to cross the plate.

That was more than enough for DelaFuente, who grew stronger as the game progressed. The Covina native retired the side in order in two of the final three innings of work, fanning 11 batters without issuing a single walk in the workmanlike performance.

Of UCSD's six hits, just three came over the final seven innings of play.

A trio of Toros in Rossman, Avila and Haley each belted a pair of hits, with Haley's both going for extra bases. In fact, Haley looked to give the Toro fans in attendance a special treat during the In-N-Out "Double Double" 4th inning promotion by belting a guaranteed double into the left-center field gap, but Haley stretched his hit into a triple, keeping the Toro faithful hungry.

The two teams will conclude the series tomorrow in La Jolla, with first pitch of game one set for a 12 noon start at Triton Ballpark.

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