Gevas Breaks Another Record, Toros and Chico State Split Season Baseball Finale
Gevas becomes the all-time career hits leader with five hits on the day, CSUDH wins early game 13-8, drop nightcap, 7-5
May 4, 2003

Complete Box Scores
Game 1      Game 2

CARSON, Calif.--In the final day of the 2003 season, Cal State Dominguez Hills won big in the first game of a California Collegiate Athletic Association twin bill against No. 14 Chico State, 13-8. In the nightcap, Chico State salvaged a split of the series holding on for a 7-5 win in a game shortened to six innings due to time restrictions.

Cal State Dominguez Hills completes the 2003 season with a 29-26 overall record and a 17-22 mark in CCAA play. Chico State completes its regular season with a 34-16 record and a 24-14 mark in league action.

In the first game, CSUDH jumped out to an early lead with four runs in the first three innings. The Toros took a 3-0 lead in the first after RBI hits off the bats of Jason Flores, Ruben Salazar and Frank Perez. Salazar made it 4-0 in the third with his 11th home run of the season, a monster shot over the scoreboard in left field.

Chico added single runs in the fourth and fifth after sacrifice flies to trim the deficit to 4-2. But the Toros added three more runs in the fifth on an error and Perez's second double of the game to drive in two runs for a 7-2 advantage.

Joe Gevas gave the Toros two more runs in the seventh when he connected for his league-leading 19th home run of the year making it 9-2.

The Wildcats chased CSUDH starter Aldo Silva scoring four runs in the eighth on a wild pitch and a two-run single from John Moylan. With runners on the corners, Freddy Larios greeted reliever Chris Ingstad with an infield single to drive in the fourth run of the inning cutting the lead to 9-6.

But Cal State Dominguez Hills answered with four runs of their own in the bottom of the eighth on two sacrifice flies and RBI singles Efren Esparza and Gevas to open its lead back up to seven runs, 13-6. Gevas' hit was his fourth of the game and tied the CSUDH all-time record for career hits giving him 252 in his four years.

Chico State got back-to-back solo home runs in the ninth with two outs from Brandon Voorhees and John Paluck, but that was as close as they would get. Ingstad struck out Steve Newson looking to end the game and earn his third save of the year.

Gevas finished the game 4-for-5 with three RBI while Salazar, Perez and Milstead all had two hits apiece. Aldo Silva (4-6) earned the win going the first 7.2 innings allowing eight runs, six earned, while striking out eight.

Brian Kroll (6-4) took the loss for Chico lasting the first 4.2 innings giving up seven runs on eight hits.

In the late game, the Wildcats jumped on Toro starter Rick Moore (6-7) early with five runs over the first three innings including putting up a three spot in the first, the big blow coming on a two-out, two-run bases loaded single by Ryan Adams. Larios and Jonathan Shepard added run-scoring singles in the second and third for a 5-1 lead.

CSUDH cut it to 5-3 with two runs in the bottom of the third on a two-out single with runners on second and third off the bat of Frank Perez.

Chico added a run in the fifth on another RBI single from Shepard. But the Toros answered right back in the bottom of the stanza when Andrew Rodriguez hit a solo leadoff home run making it 6-4.

The Wildcats came right back with an insurance run in the sixth on a sacrifice fly by Moylan for a 7-4 edge. But once again CSUDH countered with another run in the bottom of the inning on an RBI double by Milstead. With runners on second and third with two out, Clark Johnson, who pitched the final 2.0 innings to earn his tenth save of the season, struck out Rodriguez to end the game. Two innings earlier, the CCAA get-away-day rule was invoked which does not allow an inning to begin after 5 PM when playing a team out of region due to travel safety rules.

Cal State Dominguez Hills honored 13 seniors who played their final game in a Toro uniform Sunday in a ceremony between games. Andrew Rodriguez, Mike Roux, Aldo Silva, Troy Doram, Chris Ingstad, Tony Marquez, David Keesee, Brian Cortes, Frank Perez, Mike Milstead, Don Bracken Rick Moore and Joe Gevas all finished their collegiate playing careers today. Thank you for all of your hard work on and off the field. Good luck to all of you in the future!