CARSON – The Cal State Dominguez Hills baseball team got the big inning it was looking for in the fourth game of the series against crosstown Cal State LA, but it was the Golden Eagles who took both games, 10-5 in game one and 11-7 in the nightcap, to sweep the CCAA series Saturday.
 
The Toros fall to 7-15 overall and 4-12 in the CCAA.
 
Game 1 – CSULA 10, CSUDH 5
Ray Diaz made a good effort in his third start of the year, who struck out five and gave up just two earned runs in six innings and 103 pitches.
 
But the defensive miscues became costly as Cal State LA scored one in the fifth to tie the game 3-3 and added two more in the sixth.
 
The Toros offense did into the offensive rhythm they've been looking for in the last several games. It started in the first inning when Kai Gomez led off with a walk and back-to-back singles by Jordan James and Esteban Ortega followed by a fielder's choice hit by Kevin Lugo gave Dominguez Hills a 2-0 lead.
 
Down 5-4 in the seventh, the Toros had a golden opportunity to take the lead and possibly add more to it when the bases were loaded. Daryl Donerson hit a fly ball to right field that was just missed from becoming an extra-base hit.
 
The Toros finished the game with nine hits. Gomez had the lone extra-base hit, a triple to right field in the eighth.
 
Game 2 – CSULA 11, CSUDH 7 (8 innings)
It was the Toros who, once again, struck first. Only this time it was the benefit of two errors from the Golden Eagles. John Gonzalez led off reaching on a fielding error and Stephen Kish's walked moved him over to second. He eventually scored when a throwing error in attempt to get Justin Morris out.
 
The lead short-lived as the Golden Eagles answered back in the third with two runs on two RBI singles to move in front 2-1. Los Angeles added one more in the fourth and four more in the sixth to take a 7-1 lead.
 
Dominguez Hills' bats came to life for the first time in the series in the sixth. Gomez led it off with a single and after a flyout, Ortega drew a walk and consecutive doubles from Gonzalez and Kish scored in three runs. Morris kept the momentum going with a walk and another back-to-back two-bagger from Donerson and Jeremy Ciolek tied the game 7-7.
 
Both teams would go quiet in the seventh but the Golden Eagles used two walks, two doubles and a single to score in four.
 
The Toros made one last effort in their half of the inning with two outs. Donerson reached on an error and Ciolek slapped in a single to left center. But a fielder's choice ended the game.
 
Joe Mercado got the starting nod and made it to the fourth inning allowing three runs but striking out four. On the other side, Saxon Andross got through 5.1 innings allowing six earned runs.
 
Dominguez Hills will now begin a stretch of six opponents from the north region starting at Sonoma State Friday at 3 p.m.