LOS ANGELES -- Cal State Dominguez Hills held a slim one-run lead heading into the bottom of the ninth inning against its crosstown rival, but host Cal State LA rallied for two runs in its final at-bat to steal game two of the four game series in an 8-7 final before blanking the Toros, 7-0, in the late game.

Reigning CCAA Player of the Week Quinn Johnson led the offense with two home runs and three RBI, with Ben Saitz driving home two himself in the first-game loss.

Trailing 3-0 after one inning of the opener, the Toros fought back in the second inning after RBI singles by Julian Camarena and Saitz before to cut their deficit to 3-2. 

After the hosts answered with a single run in the bottom half of the inning, Saitz drove in Deegan Grgas in the fourth inning before Johnson continued his yard work by belting a solo shot on the first pitch he saw one inning later.

Following the Golden Eagles again regaining the lead in the seventh inning on a two-out RBI knock, the Toros took their first lead of the game in their last at-bat, using back-to-back jacks to take a 7-6 lead that included a 2-run shot by Johnson, his second of the game, and one by Tristan Usher.

That momentum proved short-lived, however, as CSULA rallied off of relievers Julian Castro and River Diaz De Leon to steal the win.

The nightcap was scoreless through the first four innings, courtesy of Toro starter Zachary Lopez and Golden Eagle starter Jonathan Manuel who each scattered three hits over those frames.

That all changed in the bottom of the fifth as CSULA erupted for seven runs to break open the game in the eventual 7-0 win.

Grgas led the offense with two hits, with Lopez suffering the loss (2-4).

The two teams conclude their series tomorrow with a single game starting at 1 pm at Reeder Field.
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