Toros Drop Two in Baseball to Hawaii Pacific, 7-0 & 8-3
Ruben Salazar leads CSUDH with 4-for-7 afternoon
March 30, 2004

Complete Box Scores
Game 1       Game 2

Carson, CA -- Cal State Dominguez Hills junior Ruben Salazar (Lynwood, CA/St. John Bosco HS) pounded four hits in seven at-bats on the afternoon but visiting Hawaii Pacific used multiple-run outbursts in each game to sweep the Toros in a Tuesday afternoon doubleheader on Toro Field, 7-0 and 8-3. CSUDH falls to 10-33 while HPU improves to 18-17.

HPU starter Zach Blatteis was in control in the opening game, throwing a complete game while limiting the Toros to just three hits in the seven innings to improve to 3-2. Salazar was the only Toro to figure out Blatteis' pitches, banging two singles to lead CSUDH.

The Sea Warriors scored single runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings to take a 3-0 lead, and then exploded with four runs in the final frame to put the game away, the big blow coming on a Greg Benoit 2 RBI double to left center field.

CSUDH starter Ryan Owen (Riverside, CA/West Torrance HS) lasted four innings, allowing two earned runs to take the loss (3-6). HPU's Geoffrey Say led the Sea Warriors with three hits, while Benoit added two to pace HPU's offense.

The Toros started quickly in the nightcap, riding Salazar's hot bat. After a Jose Montes (Pacoima, CA/San Fernando HS) double and a Joey Caira (La Palma, CA/Kennedy HS) walk put two runners on with one out, Salazar stung a double down the right field line, catching chalk and allowing the two runners to score to give CSUDH its first lead of the afternoon.

The advantage would be short lived, however, as HPU answered with five runs in the top of its second inning to take a 5-3 lead. Alika Kuraoka started the rally, leading off the frame with a home run to right field, and Say provided another big hit, banging a double to plate two HPU runners.

Both pitching staffs would settle down over the next four innings, until HPU added three runs in the top of the seventh inning to put the game away, as a Tyler Ward single brought home two Sea Warriors.

The Toros would add a solo run in their last at-bat, courtesy of a Montes RBI single, but HPU reliever Josh Ervin closed the door on the Toro rally, retiring Jason Flores (Whittier, CA/St. Paul HS) on a ground out to end the game.

Toro starter Raul Claros (Hawthorne, CA/Los Angeles HS) lasted just 1.2 innings, allowing three earned runs to take the loss (0-3). HPU starter Cruz Hatanaka threw 5.1 innings, allowing two earned runs and six hits, to pick up his third victory of the year (3-2).

Salazar, Montes and Caira each finished with two hits in the nightcap, while Benoit's three hits led HPU's offense in game two.

CSUDH travels to Chico State for a weekend series against the Wildcats before returning home on Wednesday, April 7, to take on Cal Baptist in a nonconference game beginning at 3:00 p.m. on Toro Field.