POMONA -- After suffering a setback yesterday due to a big inning, Cal State Dominguez Hills thrice returned the favor in the opening game of today's doubleheader at Cal Poly Pomona, scoring five, six and six runs to run away with a 19-6 decision over the Broncos to even the series at one game each.
In the nightcap, CSUDH's bats were less effective as CPP took a 5-1 decision to split the doubleheader.
Quinn Johnson and
Nigel Buckley (pictured) each roped four hits, drove in four and scored three runs as the Toros pelted the CPP staff for 18 hits in the game-one win.
It was a pitching duel for the first 4.0 innings of play in the opener as the Broncos took a 1-0 lead in the second inning.
That's when the pitching took a break as both teams put up five runs in the fifth inning, with CSUDH's runs coming via RBI singles by leadoff hitter
Malik Balloue, Johnson and
Jarrett Segura, a CPP wild pitch and an RBI groundout.
Down 6-5 entering the sixth, the Toros took the lead for good with a pair of runs courtesy of RBI knocks by
Julio Camarena and Balloue.
After a scoreless seventh inning for both teams, CSUDH's bats shelled CPP's pitching to the tune of six runs in the eighth and ninth innings to put the game away.
Johnson and Buckley did the most damage in the eighth with 2RBI hits each, before the Toros broke out the yard sticks with
Angel Cortez hammering a 3-run shot before Buckley launched a 2-run blast to complete the scoring.
Cortez also drove home four runs with
Zac Ragland and
Tristan Usher both scoring three runs, and Usher drawing three free passes.
River Diaz De Leon picked up the win to move to 2-0 after tossing 2.0 innings of work.
The nightcap saw the Toros continue their momentum with a run in their first at-bat after Buckley drove home Ragland, who singled to lead off the game, stole second and moved to third on a groundout.
That would be the extent of CSUDH's offense, however, as CPP tied the game in the bottom half of the inning and scored four runs in the fifth to put the game away.
The Toros mustered four hits in the loss, with Ragland accounting for two.
CSUDH returns home next weekend to host Cal State San Marcos, with game one of the four-game set scheduled for Thursday afternoon at 2 pm on Toro Field.
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