SAN MARCOS – In a rare 9-inning doubleheader to avoid rain in the forecast, the Cal State Dominguez Hills and Cal State San Marcos baseball teams compiled 39 runs and 49 hits in the two games as both each took a win to open the California Collegiate Athletic Association series Thursday.
The Toros won the game-one slugfest, 17-11, while the Cougars responded in game two 7-4. The two teams will meet in a 9/7-inning twinbill at Toro Field Sunday at 11 a.m.
Esteban Ortega and
Dalton Duarte both showed power in their bats with two home runs in game one.
Kai Gomez driven in four runs on the day while Duarte, Ortega and
Jordan James each brought home three runners.
The Toros took a 4-0 lead by the third inning in game one. They then added six more runs in the fourth and five in the fifth to take a 15-2 lead.
Rigo Fernandez got through five innings striking out nine to match his career-best for the second consecutive outing. He did allow two runs on three hits and six walks.
The bullpen had a bit of a struggle, giving up nine runs.
Ian Codina pitched 1.2 shutout innings to lock up the win.
After the Toros took a 2-0 lead in the second inning of game two, the Cougars responded in the third and scored three on back-to-back extra base hits. San Marcos added two more runs in the fifth that proved to be the difference in the game.
Evan Yeager had a solid performance at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a solo homer in the ninth and two RBI.
