CARSON -- Junior Eric Smelko stroked a pair of hits with a run scored as Cal State Dominguez Hills opened its home schedule this afternoon, but visiting Concordia University Irvine scored six runs over the first three innings of play en route to a 8-1 win over the Toros.

With the loss, the Cardinal and Gold drops to 0-2 on the young season.

The Golden Eagles put up three runs in a hurry off Toro starter Sam Gomez after a 3-run blast in the top of the 1st inning off the bat of Nick Hansen, just the fourth batter of the game.

After CUI added three more over the next two frames, the Toros put up what would prove to be their lone run of the game in the bottom of the 3rd.

In the inning, Smelko stroked a one-out single to center, reached 2nd on a CUI fielding error, and came home after Vincent Temesvary belted a 3-2 pitch through the left side.

An unsung hero for the visitors was shortstop Jake Schulz, who picked a number of hard grounders off CSUDH bats and finished with five assists.

For the Toros, three other batters recorded a hit for a total of six, while reliever Nico Martinez was stellar in relief, keeping CUI off the board until the top of the 9th as he finished with 6.1 innings of work, including eight strikeouts and five hits allowed.

The two teams resume the four-game set tomorrow afternoon, with first pitch set for 1 pm on Toro Field.