Toros Win Slugfest in Sweep Over Hawaii Pacific, 13-9 and 20-16
CSUDH records 18 extra-base hits, including five home runs en route to non-conference sweep
April 1, 2005

Complete Box Scores
Game 1          Game 2

CARSON, Calif.--(April 1, 2005)--Cal State Dominguez Hills pounded out 18 extra-base hits on the way to 33 runs on the day to fuel a non-conference twinbill sweep over Hawaii Pacific University, 13-9 and 20-16, Friday afternoon at Toro Field.

Ricky Eda just missed hitting for the cycle in the early game, but blasted his team-leading ninth homer of the season in the nightcap to help fuel the non-conference sweep. Photo by Michael Foo

In the first game, CSUDH jumped out to a 6-1 lead after two innings thanks in part to a five-run first. In that inning, C Martin Conde (Los Angeles/Fremont HS) drove in two runs with a single up the middle. The Toros also got RBI singles from CF Isidro Perez (South Gate/South Gate HS) and SS David Leos (Los Angeles/Venice HS).

HPU answered with five runs in the fourth and fifth to trim the lead down to 7-6 thanks in part to RBI doubles by 1B Alika Kuraoka and 3B Danny Lee. Cal State Dominguez Hills answered back with three runs in the fifth and three more in the sixth to take control, 13-6.

In the fifth DH Matt Hopps (Torrance/So. Torrance HS) connected for his fourth home run of the year, and 3B Chris Martinez (Torrance/So. Torrance HS) knocked in a run on a groundout with a runner on third. CSUDH got an unearned run in the sixth and a run-scoring triple off the bat of LF Jose Montes (Pacoima/San Fernando HS) to make it 13-6.

Hawaii Pacific put up three runs in the top of the seventh but would get no closer. Junior lefty Ryan Owen (Riverside/W. Torrance HS) came on with two on and no outs in the bottom of the seventh and restored order to earn his second save of the season. Toro starter Jason Garcia (3-2) pitched the first 6.0 innings allowing nine runs (seven earned) on 11 hits to earn the win.

Senior OF Ricky Eda (Palos Verdes/Peninsula HS), who nearly hit for the cycle after recording a single, double and triple, went 3 for 3 with four runs scored. Eda was walked intentionally in his final at-bat of the game. 1B Ian Corso (Thousand Oaks/Thousand Oaks HS) also had three hits going 3 for 4. The Toros had 17 hits in game one, including 10 for extra bases.

OF Greg Benoit and 2B Bryan Daguio led HPU with three hits apiece. Benoit also drove in three runs with a double and a homer. Sea Warrior starter Mario Ramirez (3-1) suffered his first loss of the year lasting only 3.1 innings and giving up seven runs on 12 hits.

In game two, Hawaii Pacific took a quick 11-3 lead after sending 20 batters to the plate in the first two innings. HPU knocked around starter Chris Borchers who went the first 1.1 innings allowing nine runs on seven hits and three walks. Kuraoka knocked in two with a triple in the first, followed by RBI hits from C Jay Baptista, LF Michael Kealoha and RF Brandon Sato.

But Cal State Dominguez Hills got three runs back in the third after a 3-run home run by Corso, his second of the day and fourth of the season to begin the comeback and making it 11-6.

The Toros took the lead in the fourth, 13-11, after plating seven runs on four hits and an error. In that big inning, Eda hit his team-leading ninth home run of the year, a three-run blast over the right-centerfield wall, followed by a two-run single by Leos and a RBI double by Hopps.

CSUDH (14-17) pushed across six more runs in the fifth on RBI hits off the bats of Perez, Montes and a bases-clearing double from Hopps for a 19-11 lead.

HPU would get a run in the sixth and four more in the seventh, but that was all to account for the final score. Matt Burson (1-1) suffered the loss in relief for Hawaii Pacific going only 1.0 inning allowing four runs on three hits.

James Dodson (2-2) earned the win in relief for the Toros tossing 2.2 innings allowing two runs on six hits. Montes led the Toros 17-hit attack going a perfect 5 for 5 with three RBI and four runs scored. Corso and Hopps finished with four RBI apiece. In all, the Sea Warriors and Toros combined for 58 runs and 65 hits on the day.

The same two teams will continue this five-game series with a doubleheader tomorrow beginning at noon.