Toros Salvage Split in CCAA Baseball Twinbill Against Cal State L.A.
Toro bats come alive in nightcap winning 9-0 after dropping early game 3-2
February 22, 2003

Complete Box Scores
Game 1        Game 2

CARSON, Calif.--Cal State Dominguez Hills split a doubleheader against cross-town rival Cal State L.A. in California Collegiate Athletic Association baseball action Saturday afternoon at Toro Field. CSULA won the early game 3-2 before the Toro bats awakened in the nightcap earning a 9-0 shutout.

With the split today, the Toros record is now 7-7 overall and 3-5 in CCAA play. Cal State L.A. is now 6-7 and 5-3 in league action.

In the first game, Toros starter Ryan Owen (W. Torrance HS) was cruising in his first career start until Golden Eagle first baseman Tim Wilkerson connected for his fifth home run of the year in the fourth inning, a solo shot to right field, to give CSULA a 1-0 lead.

CSUDH tied it up in the bottom of the inning on 3B Ruben Salazar's (St. John Bosco HS) first homer of the season, a solo blast deep over the right field fence.

Cal State L.A. took the lead back, 2-1, in the fifth inning on a bloop single down the right field line by 3B Jeff Carroll with runners on the corners. CSULA then took a 3-1 lead in the sixth on a Wilkerson RBI-base hit scoring Troy Young from second base.

Golden Eagle starter Kyle Schneider was cruising, retiring eight in a row until the Toros threatened in the eighth. Andrew Rodriguez (South Hills HS) led off the inning with a double and went to third on an error. LF Joe Gevas (Vallejo, CA) then knocked in the run on a sacrifice fly making it 3-2. But with one out and a runner on second, CSUDH was unable to bring the tying run home after Salazar popped up and 1B Frank Perez (Banning HS) flied out.

Cal State L.A.'s closer Philip Springman came on in the ninth to retire the side in order to earn his third save of the year. Schneider (1-2) earned the win going the first eight innings allowing only two runs on four hits while striking out six.

Owen (W. Torrance HS) took the loss tossing the first six innings giving up nine hits and three runs. Chris Ingstad (Lakewood HS) came out of the pen to pitch three shutout innings allowing only one hit and striking out four.

In the nightcap, Toro starter Brian Cortes (Century HS) tossed a gem pitching a 3-hit complete-game shutout. Cortes (2-0) struck out six in the shortened seven-inning game.

Tony Marquez (Roseville, CA) got the Toros on the board in the third with a solo blast to left field giving CSUDH a 1-0 lead. The Toros then erupted for four runs in the fourth and fifth innings to account for the final, 9-0.

In the fourth, Marquez knocked in a run on a fielder's choice with the bases loaded. CF Mike Milstead (Murrieta, CA) then knocked in a pair with a long double to left field. C Frank Valle (Santa Fe HS) then knocked in a run with a line drive to center scoring Milstead to give the Toros a 5-0 lead.

The Toros then got four runs on four hits and two CSULA errors in the fifth. RF Ricky Eda's (Peninsula HS) 2-run homer to left center, his second of the year, and Salazar's RBI single highlighted the inning.

Marquez finished the game 2-3 at the plate with two runs and two RBI on a home run and a double. Gevas and Valle also had two hits apiece in the second game.

Cal State Dominguez Hills is on the road next weekend in Phoenix, AZ to take on Grand Canyon in a four-game series beginning on Friday. The Toros return home on Saturday, March 8 to face Cal Poly Pomona in twinbill action beginning at 12:00 noon.