CARSON -- Facing a six-run deficit heading into the bottom of the 5th inning with three errors committed usually isn't a recipe for success, but the Cal State Dominguez Hills baseball team turned their bad fortune around over their final five at-bats to take a thrilling 8-7 win over visiting Cal State San Bernardino as
Matt Mecate drew a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the 9th to end the 3-hour, 7-minute contest.
With the win, CSUDH leapfrogs the Yotes for 3rd place in league play, with three games left in the weekend series.
The visitors roughed up Toro starter
Dylan Steen, tagging him for five earned runs on nine hits, with two scores coming via CSUDH miscues.
CSUSB held a 7-1 lead entering the bottom half of the 5th inning, only to have the Toros find their groove at the plate.
After a wild pitch plated
Grant Decatrel for a single run, Mecate drove in the first run of the 6th with a double to score
Alberto Luevano, before an
Emilio Barrera sacrifice fly brought Mecate home to bring the Yote lead to 7-4.
An
Anthony Accordino RBI single and a Mecate sac fly added two more runs for the hosts, with
Caleb Ellis driving home Accordino with the tying run on a seeing-eye blooper.
That's where the score remained until the 9th when Coyote reliever Oscar Rauda entered the game with two runners on base, and proceeded to allow a single to load the bases before walking Mecate on four pitches for the game winner.
The Toro bullpen was stellar in relief, holding the high-powered CSUSB offense scoreless for the final four innings.
Carlos Bracamontes earned his second win of the season, fanning two batters in his one inning of work.
The two teams hook up again for a twinbill tomorrow, with first pitch of game one set for 12 noon on Toro Field.
