AZUSA – What looked to be a promising start turned out to be a sour end for the Cal State Dominguez Hills baseball team. On a brisk Tuesday evening, the Toros opened the 2023 season slugging their way to a 5-0 lead after two innings, but host Azusa Pacific rallied and walked off 7-6 in 10 frames.
 
The Toros knocked in all their runs using the long ball. Beginning with the first inning of the season, Cougars starter Korey Shepard walked the bases loaded to start the game and setup for Vincent Temesvary to crush an 0-1 count to opposite right center field for his first career grand slam. One inning later and already having circled through the lineup, leadoff man and current CCAA Newcomer of the Year Eric Smelko gave the Toros a 5-0 lead when he belted a one-out solo home run to right field. Aaron Greenfield, returning to the field for the first time since the shortened 2020 season, responded to the Cougars two-run single in the third inning by hitting a two-out home run to right field, giving the Toros a 6-2 lead.
 
Right-hander Dane Baker went five innings in his debut in a Dominguez Hills uniform, giving up the first four runs on nine hits and two walks while striking out five.
 
Azusa Pacific eventually completed the rally with a solo home run in the sixth and an RBI single in the seventh.
 
The Toros had opportunities late in the game to break the tie. In the ninth inning, Matt Mecate drew a leadoff, pinch-hit walk and reached third on Smelko's single to right but was stranded. In the 10^th inning, Emilio Barrera led off with a base hit, Justin Abercrombie was hit by the pitch to advance Barrera into scoring position. After the next two batters were retired, Smelko came through again with his third hit of the game to left, Barrera tried to score all the way from second but was beaten by the throw.
 
The Cougars used a little bit of small ball to get the winning run across against Chris Cornelius, also making his Toros debut. Following a leadoff walk, Cornelius was caught guilty of a balk and a sacrifice bunt moved the winning run to third, which was scored on a single popup to center.
 
It was a slugfest between the two teams in a game that took 3:16 to play. The Toros collected 11 hits while the Cougars had 14.
 
The Toros and Cougars will see each other at the end of the month at Cougar Baseball Complex.
 
Until then, Dominguez Hills will open the home portion of its 2023 schedule hosting Concordia Thursday at 2 p.m. The two teams will meet once more in Carson Friday at 1 p.m. before wrapping up the four-game home-and-home series in a doubleheader in Irvine Saturday at noon.