CARSON -- With just eight games left in the regular season and needing to regroup after getting swept at Cal State East Bay last weekend, the top three hitters in the lineup combined for five hits, six runs scored, seven RBI, and two deep home runs as the Toros took a 10-4 win over visiting Sonoma State to kick off Senior Day weekend.
Scott Ogrin enjoyed a 2-for-3 outing with three runs scored, two RBI and a monstrous home run in the 3rd inning.
Coupled with Cal State East Bay's loss to Cal State San Bernardino, the Toros got a 'safe win,' meaning that Dominguez Hills keeps hold of fifth place in the CCAA standings. The Toros now lead both the Pioneers and Seawolves by two games with seven to play. The CCAA will take the top six teams in the standings to the conference tournament in Chico in two weeks.
Looking to shake things up with the pitching rotation, head coach
Tyler Wright decided to give
Isaac Mullins Friday's ball. Although the southpaw didn't go the distance like he's done in his past outings, he did reach 5.1 innings striking out three and giving up the four runs on eight hits and two walks.
As soon as the Seawolves broke the ice in the third, the Toros responded with
Scott Ogrin hitting his 18th home run of the season to take a 2-1 lead.
Eric Smelko made it a 4-1 lead when he delivered a two-run single to right field, extending his hitting streak to 20 games.
Sonoma answered back in the fifth by scoring a two-run homer and a sacrifice fly.
Dominguez Hills reclaimed the lead in its half of the fifth when
Emilio Barrera doubled down the left field line to score in
Alberto Luevano. One inning later, Smelko scored the sixth run on a wild pitch and Luevano singled in Ogrin to make it 7-4.
Pierson Loska, who had been in a slump, appeared to got himself out of it when he crushed a 3-run shot to center field to make it 10-4.
The Toros and Seawolves will continue their bout for posteseason berths in the 9/7-inning doubleheader Saturday. Game one is at noon.
