Toros Sweep Grand Canyon in CCAA Baseball Doubleheader
CSUDH wins first game 7-3 then holds on for 10-7 victory in nightcap
April 17, 2004

Complete Box Scores
Game 1       Game 2

CARSON, Calif.-Freshman pitcher Gus Hernandez registered his first career complete-game to lead Cal State Dominguez Hills to a 7-3 victory over Grand Canyon in the first game of a California Collegiate Athletic Association doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Toro Field. In the nightcap, the Toros held on for a 10-7 victory to earn the CCAA twinbill sweep.

Cal State Dominguez Hills is now 13-43 and 7-28 in CCAA play, while Grand Canyon drops to 19-27 and 11-21.

In the first game, Hernandez (2-5) staked the Antelopes to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. However, the Toros answered back in the bottom of the frame with four runs on four hits, including run-scoring singles from CF Jason Flores and 3B Fernando Hernandez. CSUDH also got two runs on sacrifice flies from 1B Joey Caira and SS David Leos to take the 4-2 lead.

GCU trimmed the deficit to 4-3 with a run in the fourth on an RBI single by 1B Matt Michael. But Hernandez retired 14 of the next 18 Antelope batters and his offense provided three insurance runs in the seventh, on RBI singles from Flores and Hernandez followed by another sacrifice fly by Leos, to accHernandez' allowed three runs on 10 hits through nine innings. The freshman right-hander had pinpoint control, only walking two while striking out one.ount for the final margin.

Flores led the Toros at the plate going 4-for-4 and driving in two runs. LF Jose Montes and Hernandez finished with two hits apiece.

Brad Bettcher (4-5) suffered the loss for GCU going the first 6.1 innings allowing six runs, only three earned, on seven hits. Five Antelope players had two hits each.

In the nightcap, CSUDH starter Chris Abbott (2-3) was shaky at the start allowing six Antelope batters to the plate in the first inning, before settling down and retiring nine of the next ten batters.

The Toro offense put up five runs in the second, highlighted by Zac Cort's fifth home run of the year, a deep blast over the center field fence.

CSUDH plated two more runs in the third and fourth innings on RBI singles from David Leos, Efren Esparza and an RBI triple off the bat of Fernando Hernandez to give the Toros a 9-0 advantage.

Grand Canyon put up a single run in the fifth but Cal State Dominguez Hills answered right back with a run in the bottom of the frame on a run-scoring double by Joey Caira making it 10-1.

The Antelopes made it interesting in the seventh sending 11 batters to the plate and scoring six times. However, James Dodson came on to retire the final batter with two runners on to register his second save of the year.

Abbott earned the win going the first 6.2 innings, allowing seven runs on nine hits and striking out four.

The Toros were led at the plate by Cort who went 3-for-4 with three runs driven in. Hernandez also had three hits while scoring three runs.

CSUDH and Grand Canyon will complete the four-game series tomorrow with a single game beginning at noon.