LaVERNE – The Cal State Dominguez Hills baseball team got their 2022 season underway Friday. But the result wasn't quite what they wanted to see as LaVerne got one run in the first and then six in the second that eventually set the tone of the game and open the home-and-home series with a 9-4 win over the Toros Friday.
 
It had been nearly two years since the Toros had taken the field and played a game on the record.
 
The Toros racked up a dozen hits, with Eric Smelko hitting three in the leadoff spot. Emilio Barerra launched a solo home run in the eighth and Alberto Luevano and Caleb Ellis each had a double to round up the extra base hits.
 
LaVerne, an NCAA Division III member, got its season started right off the bat with a run in the first inning. The damage had been done in the second when the Leopards knocked in six runs off of Dylan Steen to take a 7-0 lead.
 
The Toros did get two of those runs back the next half inning. Scott Ogrin hit a single down the third base line to score in Smelko and Beserra knocked him in with a base hit.
 
Humberto Chiquito limited the Leopards to two runs in five innings of work, striking out two on the way.
 
Dominguez Hills would add a run in the fifth and eighth innings.
 
The Toros will welcome the Leopards to reopen Toro Field for the first time since March 2020 on Saturday. First pitch is at 1 p.m. Spectators will be required to wear facemasks when inside the complex.