CARSON, Calif. – Cal State Dominguez Hills secured a crucial conference sweep over San Francisco State, taking both games of Friday's doubleheader at Toro Diamond. The Toros erupted for a five-run sixth inning to break open Game 1 for a 9-3 victory before using a three-run home run from Lillianna Garcia to propel them to an 8-4 win in the nightcap.
Game 1:
A pair of early runs in the first gave Cal State Dominguez Hills (22-15, 9-9 CCAA) a strong start, but it was a five-run surge in the sixth that sealed the 9-3 victory over the visiting Gators. Jay Ross put the Toros on the board with a two-run single in the first, while Garcia's two-run double in the third helped build a 4-1 lead.
After San Francisco State (25-11, 12-8 CCAA) closed the gap with runs in the fourth and fifth, the Toros capitalized on timely hitting and defensive miscues to put the game out of reach. Mia Ayala drove in two with a single, and a wild pitch brought in another run before the inning ended with a six-run cushion.
Garcia (12-1) picked up the win in relief, tossing 2.1 innings while allowing two runs. Alivia Holden closed it out with 2.2 scoreless frames. Ross finished 2-for-3 with two RBIs, while Garcia added a pair of hits and two RBIs to help pace the Toros' offense.
Game 2:
In Game 2, the Toros struck early and often, scoring in three of the first five innings to claim an 8-4 win and complete the sweep. Cal State Dominguez Hills jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first behind RBI groundouts from Mireya Rico and Torie Au, but the Gators responded with a three-run home run in the second.
Alexis Aguado tied it up with an RBI double in the bottom half before Gaby Gandara's run-scoring single put the Toros back in front. The decisive blow came in the fifth, when Garcia launched a three-run homer to dead center, pushing the lead to 7-3. Ross capped the scoring with an RBI double in the sixth.
Garcia (13-1) earned her second win of the day, throwing 1.2 scoreless innings in relief. Aguado led the way offensively, going 3-for-4 with a double, RBI, and stolen base, while Garcia drove in three runs on two hits.
The Toros continue their series against San Francisco State on Saturday with another doubleheader beginning at 11 a.m.