CARSON -- After clinching a berth in the CCAA postseason following yesterday's split against No. 4 Cal State San Marcos, the Toros continued their momentum by taking a pair of games against the Cougars after a 3-2 8-inning walk-off win in the opener before roaring back in the bottom of the 6th to forge a 5-4 win in the nightcap to take 3-of-4 games from the CCAA league-leaders on Senior Day.
On the day which the Toros welcomed back to campus Class of 2020 and 2021's Jade Loe, Jessica Lane,
Kelcy Telles, Kendelle Messersmith and
Karlee Rivera to be honored with current seniors
Claudia Valencia,
Raquel Jaime and
Chenoa Au, the Toros did not disappoint their Super Seniors as they close out the weekend 33-3 overall and regained third place in the CCAA standings at 21-11. Dominguez Hills goes into a bye weekend next week and will watch on the CCAA Network fourth-place Sonoma State (18-10 CCAA) host Cal State East Bay and second-place Chico State (20-8 CCAA) travel to Stanislaus State to see what will happen going into the final weekend of the regular season. The Toros will be making their first of two straight trips to Cal State Monterey Bay after, playing the Otters April 29-30 and then return for the CCAA Tournament May 5-8.
Â
Dafne Bravo was the heroine in game one while the
Kaylee Hull's laser spurred the come-from-behind win to send three seniors in
Chenoa Au,
Raquel Jaime and
Claudia Valencia out with a pair of wins in their final regular season games on Toro Diamond.
Â
Facing an 0-2 count with two out and the bases loaded in the bottom of the 8th inning to open the afternoon, freshman Bravo stroked the biggest hit of her career by stinging a single up the middle to bring home the game-winner.
The Toros, who will participate in the CCAA Tournament for the first time in nine years, spotted the visitors two runs in the 4th, but answered with two in their 4th-inning at-bat, courtesy of a Hull RBI single and
Maiya Lopez RBI double.
CSUDH had a chance to win it in the 7th after the first two batters got on base, but a strikeout and liner that resulted in a double play kept the game knotted.
One inning later, however, the hosts took advantage of their opportunity thanks to Bravo's heroics, after which she was mobbed at first base by her teammates.
Raquel Jaime and Hull each knocked two hits, while
Ashley Wies picked up her 16th win of the year, fanning six with no walks.
The Cougars raced to a 4-0 lead in the nightcap after their 5th inning at-bat, looking to salvage a split.
The Toros, however, had other ideas asÂ
Alex Davis got the Toros on the board with an RBI single to score
Angelina Alderete, who entered as a pinch-runner.
One inning later, CSUDH got to CSUSM starter Jayline Sloss, who had been cruising through 5.0 innings of work. In that frame, Au and
Kianna Abellera wasted no time in beginning the rally, each singling on the first pitch they saw to put runners on 1B and 2B.
After a Jaime sharp grounder moved both runners over, Au scored after Valencia reached on a fielder's choice. Hull then roped a liner to right field that was misplayed into a two-base error, scoring both Abellera and Valencia to tie the game, and knock Sloss from the circle.
After
Jonessa Hebreo entered as a pinch runner for Hull, reliever Jamie Ponce uncorked a wild pitch to bring her home, giving the Toros the their first lead of the game.
Wies did the rest, finishing her second inning of relief by retiring the Cougars in order in the 7th, giving the Toros the Saturday afternoon sweep.
Abellera finished with a pair of knocks to lead the offense, while five different Toros crossed home plate in the win.
Â
CSUDHÂ enjoys its bye weekend next week before going on the road to complete the regular season, traveling to Cal State Monterey Bay in two weeks.
Â
