LOS ANGELES – The Cal State Dominguez Hills baseball team saw an impressive streak continue after an early slugfest propelled the Toros to an 8-2 win over crosstown rivals Cal State LA Sunday.
 
The win salvaged a split in the CCAA series and now the Toros (16-10, 11-5 CCAA) to extend their unbeaten streak in a conference series to eight. Their last conference series loss was to UC San Diego in the 2019 season finale.
 
The two teams each got a run in the first inning, but the Toros got two runs in the next two innings to break away from the Golden Eagles (11-11, 6-6 CCAA). In the second inning, Matt Mecate led off with a walk, Vincent Temesvary singled and Emilio Barrera was hit by the pitch to load the bases. Grant Decatrel hit into a double play but it did allow Mecate to break the tie and leadoff man Eric Smelko hit a single to left center to score in Temesvary for a 3-1 Toro lead.
 
One inning later, Pierson Loska and Alberto Luevano each singled to setup a two-run double by Temesvary to give the Toros a 5-2 lead.

Scott Ogrin would add two more runs on the board in the sixth, hitting a two-run unearned home run. Mecate knocked in the Toros' eighth run in the ninth, when he singled in Anthony Accordino.
 
After giving up just two runs in as many innings, Giovanni Besio went four innings before handing the ball to Humberto Chiquito, who took credit for the win after throwing three perfect innings of relief with two strikeouts.
 
Dominguez Hills will enjoy the rest of March away from competition as it enters a bye weekend. The Toros open April with a four-game home series with Cal State San Bernardino, which is surprising the CCAA by currently sitting in fourth place in the standings after being predicted to finish 10^th by the head coaches in the preseason poll in February.