CARSON -- On an afternoon during which pitching was at a premium, Cal State Dominguez Hills outlasted visiting Cal State San Bernardino to open today's twinbill in an offensive 18-12 win.
Nigel Buckley went 5-for-5 with seven runs batted in while
Tristan Usher contributed five runs batted in and drew three walks as the two teams combined for 30 runs and 31 hits that included nine extra base hits.
The Toros took a 9-1 lead after three innings of play, with an Usher double,
Alex Sepulveda ground out and Coyote wild pitch accounting for three CSUDH runs in the first inning.
A pair of sacrifice flies add two more runs in the second before the Toros rattled off four hits off three CSUSB pitchers in the third inning, adding four runs in the process.
CSUDH looked to run away with the game after extending its lead to 11-2 after four innings of play, but the Yotes scored five runs over the fifth and sixth innings to get back into the game at 11-6.
The Toros, however, answered right back with six in the sixth the big blow courtesy of Buckley's bases-clearing triple and Usher's two-run blasts to right for a 17-7 cushion.
After adding a run in the seventh, CSUSB added five more runs over their final two at-bats, but
Aiden Taylor came in to record the final two out in the ninth to put the game to rest.
Julio Camarena added a 3-for 4 performance, scoring four runs in the process.
Leadoff hitter
Deegan Grgas also walked thrice as part of his 1-for-3 outing, scoring three runs himself in the win.
Will Paxton picked up his third win of the year in relief to move to 3-2 on the year as six Toro arms saw action in today's opener.
More to follow from game two later.
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