CARSON – Joe Canepa launched the first home run of the season for Cal State Dominguez Hills that would tie the game in the third inning, but Concordia went back at the plate and scored nine runs in the middle innings to hand the Toros a 16-6 defeat in the middle game of the season-opening three-game series at Toro Field Saturday.
 
Trailing 4-0 in the third, the Toros (1-1) got the rally started with Angel Estrada hitting a leadoff double. Following a passed ball that put him on third, Austyn Tengan brought him home with a sacrifice fly to center. Pierson Loska drew a four-pitch walk and Jeremy Ciolek singled to short to setup the pieces for Canepa, who launched an 0-1 pitch into right field the game-tying three-run jack.
 
Both sides would pitch a scoreless fourth inning but then the Eagles (1-1) took back the lead and eventually control of the game with Bailey Collins' 3-run homer of his own. The Eagles would slap four runs in the sixth and two in the seventh to build a 13-4 lead.
 
Dominguez Hills did get two more runs across in the eighth. Bailey Bordas hit a sacrifice fly to score in Justin Morris and Nate Ade singled in Kyle Willman to make it a 13-6 deficit.
 
Despite his offense backing him in the third inning, Dylan Steen was unable to keep the game tied in the fifth. He left that inning giving up the six runs – four earned – on six hits and three walks. He did strike out four.
 
Concordia's flame-throwing starter Jimmy Endersby also made it through four innings, giving up the four runs in the third but did strike out seven.
 
The two sides meet one more time at Toro Field Sunday before the Super Bowl kickoff. First pitch is at 11 a.m.