SAN MARCOS -- The Cal State Dominguez Hills baseball team suffered a doubleheader defeat to Cal State San Marcos Saturday afternoon. After the Cougars easily claimed game one, 12-5, the Toros fought back from an early deficit in the second contest using a two-run seventh inning, but the California Collegiate Athletic Association's newest member hanged on to win 4-3 over the Cardinal and Gold to claim the conference series.

The Toros return home falling to 10-12 overall and 5-8 in league play. They will have one more chance to salvage a game in the four-game set with the Cougars Sunday at 11 a.m.

Game 1 - CSUSM 12, CSUDH 5
The front part of the twin bill turned out to be a slugfest for the Cougars, who tallied 18 hits including three doubles.

Joe Bresson (1-2) had two one-hit, shutout innings to start his day but he and the Toros found themselves trailing the Cougars 2-0 in the third when cleanup man Jon Putnam delivered a two-run single to center.

Bresson's outing came to an end in the sixth. He surrendered five earned runs on 11 hits and a walk on 83 pitches.

The Toros offense couldn't find any momentum against Emilio Esquibel (2-3). CSUDH was limited to a hit and a walk in the first five innings. It wasn't until the sixth inning that the Toros were able to get on the board. Adrian Guzman drew a leadoff walk and Brady Conlan delivered a two-out single to drive in the first run.

Although the Cougars added six more runs, half of which were earned, between the sixth and eighth innings to take a 12-1 lead, the bullpen had a hard time closing the game in the ninth. 

CSUDH loaded the bases on a walk, a single and a hit-by-pitch to start the inning. Daryl Donerson won his at-bat with a walk to force in the second run and a pair of ground outs to the middle infielders followed by a double from Brandon Polizzi scored in three more to cut the deficit to 12-5.

Game 2 — CSUSM 4, CSUDH 3
After retiring the Toros in order to start the contest, the Cougars quickly went to work against Luke Laurita, scoring two runs on three hits and a walk.

CSUSM scored its third run in the third inning, using a two-out single followed by a triple to right center.

The Toros did get one run in back in the sixth inning. Polizzi started off with a base hit up the middle and a two-out triple by Miguel Castaneda scored the Toros' leadoff man. 

CSUDH had a rally going in the seventh and final inning. Johnny Palmer delivered a pinch-hit single to third and scored on Guzman's double to left center. Polizzi scored in Guzman with a base hit up the middle and moved into scoring position on the throw. But like game one of the series, a fly ball hit hard into the outfield was caught to end the game.

Both starting pitchers tossed a complete-game. The Toros had eight hits off of Hayden Weir (2-1) while Laurita (1-3) allowed seven.