Gevas Makes History, Toros Win Fifth Straight over Hawaii Pacific, 11-5
Gevas blasts 16th home run of season to break 25-year old single season record
April 25, 2003

Complete Box Score

Joe Gevas watches his record-setting 16th home run in Friday's 11-5 win over Hawaii Pacific.

CARSON, Calif.--Senior outfielder Joe Gevas launched his 16th home run of the season, a solo leadoff shot to deep center field in the sixth, to help Cal State Dominguez Hills win its fifth-straight game over Hawaii Pacific University, 11-5, in non-conference action Friday at Toro Field. Gevas' home run broke the CSUDH all-time single season record of 15 set back in 1978 by former slugging great Ed Packard.

With the win, Cal State Dominguez Hills is now 26-23 while Hawaii Pacific drops to 23-23.

The Toros jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the first on a run-scoring ground out by Tony Marquez followed by a two-run double by senior designated hitter Frank Perez.

HPU countered in the second to tie the game, 3-3. With a run in and two outs, Toro starter Larry Robles (Mary Star of the Sea HS) walked Brandon Sato and Geoffrey Say to load the bases. Robles then walked in a run giving up a free pass to Grandon Costa to make it 3-2. A passed ball by Toro catcher Efren Esparza then tied the game.

But Robles settled down nicely setting down 11-straight Sea Warriors, eight of them strikeouts, by challenging the hitters using a 94-MPH fastball.

CSUDH took the lead for good in the fourth with two runs on RBI singles by Esparza and Ruben Salazar making it 5-3. The Toros would add a run in the fifth on a RBI single from Eric Pringle before Gevas blasted his record-setting homer in the sixth. Perez pushed across the second run of that inning with his third hit of the game, an RBI single up the middle to make it 8-3.

Pringle then led off the seventh inning with a triple and came home on a pinch hit sacrifice fly by Andrew Rodriguez. Gevas followed with a single before Salazar connected for his ninth home run of the season, a 2-run shot deep over the center field fence to give the Toros a comfortable 11-3 lead.

Hawaii Pacific scored single runs in both the eighth and ninth on a RBI double from Alika Kuraoka and a run-scoring single from Costa for the final margin.

After struggling early, CSUDH starter Larry Robles (6-1) was impressive en route to his sixth win of the year. Robles went the first 7.0 innings striking out 10 batters and giving up only five hits. It marked the third time in his last five starts he struck out 10+ batters. Only two of the three runs Robles allowed were earned. Aldo Silva pitched the next 1.2 innings but had to come out in the ninth after being hit in the knee by a line drive.

Salazar and Perez led the Toros with three runs driven in while Gevas and Perez led the 16-hit attack registering three hits apiece.

For Hawaii Pacific, Casey Onaga, Kuraoka and Costa each had two hits each. Zach Blatteis (0-2) was tagged with the loss going the first 5.0 innings allowing six runs, five earned, on nine hits. Sean Paiva and Scott Batula combined to pitch the final three innings allowing five runs on seven hits.

The seven-game series between the Toros and Sea Warriors concludes with a doubleheader Saturday beginning at noon.