CSUDH Takes 3-2 Opener Over Azusa Pacific Before Settling for 3-3 Tie in Nightcap
Lisa Grove's eighth-inning double drives home game-winning run in game one
March 5, 2004

Complete Box Scores
Game 1      Game 2

Carson, CA -- Cal State Dominguez Hills junior Lisa Grove's (Buena Park, CA/Kennedy HS) double to left-center field drove home Natalie Greco (Downey, CA/Warren HS) with the game-winning run as the Toros took an eight-inning 3-2 victory in game one, but visiting Azusa Pacific rallied with two runs in the top of the seventh inning to force a 3-3 tie in the nightcap, which was called due to darkness after nine innings.

CSUDH improves to 12-9-1, while APU falls to 10-5-1.

Game one saw a pitching duel between Valerie Long (Stockton, CA/St. Mary's HS) and Megan Alkire. After the Cougars broke open the scoring in the top of the fourth, the Toros rallied with the equalizer in the bottom half of the frame, courtesy of a Grove single and an RBI double off the bat of Jenny Funk (Long Beach, CA/St. Joseph HS).

CSUDH would continue its rally in the next inning, using a Cindy Perry (Victorville, CA/Silverado HS) single, stolen base and a Natalie Sharp (Whittier, CA/California HS) RBI laser to left field to take a 2-1 lead.

Long continued to to cruise until the top of the seventh, when APU struck back on a one-out homerun by Aurion Sanchez to tie the game at 2-2. The Toros, however, would not be denied as Grove smacked a one-out double against the left-center field fence in the bottom of the eighth inning, bringing home Greco with the winning run..

Long hurled all eight innings, fanning a season-high 10 Cougars, to pick up her fourth win of the season (4-0), while Alkire threw 7.1 innings in the loss (1-2).

Grove, Sharp and Perry paced the Toros at the plate with two hits apiece while four Cougars delivered one hit each.

The second game saw a scoreless tie until the bottom of the third inning, when the Toros used one hit and a costly Cougar error to take a 3-0 lead. With two out and Perry on second base, Sharp followed a Janie Olivas (Downey, CA/Warren HS) walk with a booming double to left-center, plating Perry with the game's first run. Grove then belted a deep fly to the left field fence which was dropped by APU left fielder Sanchez, allowing two more runs to score.

The Cougars would rally, scoring a run in the top of the fourth, and two in the seventh to tie, courtesy of a Toro throwing error and an RBI double by Cassi Sweeney.

CSUDH had a chance to win the game in the eighth inning, as Funk reached base on an APU error to open the frame. However, a sacrifice bunt and ground out that moved pinch-runner Sylvia Bonilla (Los Angeles, CA/Fremont HS) to third base went for naught as Azusa Pacific starter Nicole Hendrix struck out Crystal Dingman (Sunland, CA/Verdugo HS) to quell the rally.

The teams played one final inning, but darkness set in and the game was called officially with the squads tied at 3-3.

CSUDH starter Kim O'Hanian (Norwalk, CA/St. Paul HS) and APU starter Nicole Hendrix each threw a complete game.

Perry led the Toros with two hits, while Sweeney paced the Cougars, also contributing two hits in game two.

The Toros travel to Cal State San Bernardino tomorrow for a 12 noon doubleheader, before heading north to battle Chico State and UC Davis the weekend of March 12-13. CSUDH returns home on Friday, March 19, as they battle Vanguard in another nonconference twinbill, with first pitch of game one's doubleheader beginning at 1:00 p.m.