Toros Win First Game Against Gators 11-6, Second Game Halted Due to Darkness
Toros win first game of CCAA doubleheader, nightcap halted due to darkness with SFSU leading 9-6
March 23, 2002

Complete Box Score

LOS ANGELES, Calif.-Cal State Dominguez Hills won the first game of today's CCAA doubleheader 11-6 over visiting San Francisco State today at Dennis Gilbert Field on the campus of LA Southwest College. The second game was called after the sixth inning with SFSU up 9-6 due to darkness. The game will be resumed tomorrow prior to the final game of this four-game series.

The first game saw the Toros hit five home runs, two alone by 1B Danny Jacobs, as CSUDH won the first game 11-6. Cal State Dominguez Hills got on the board in the first with four runs on back-to-back-to-back homers from DH Frank Perez, 3B Damien Lopez and Danny Jacobs.

The Toros tacked on another run in the third on an RBI double by Lopez to give CSUDH a 5-0 lead. San Francisco State trimmed the lead to 5-2 in the fourth on a leadoff double by 2B Ryan Cope and was brought home on a single by 3B Michael Mukuno. LF Tanner Herrick then hit an RBI double making it 5-2.

SFSU tied the game in the fifth with three runs. With runners on second and third, CF Andrew Grier stole home followed by an RBI single by Cope tying the game 5-5. But the Toros took the lead for good in the bottom of the stanza pushing across three runs on a wild pitch with the bases loaded followed by C Edgar Esqueda's 2-run double taking an 8-5 lead.

San Francisco made it 8-6 in the sixth inning on a balk by Toros pitcher Steve Ressa scoring SS Abraham Gutierrez from third. But CSUDH would answer with two more runs in the bottom of the inning on a leadoff homer by CF Jason Pruitt and an RBI double by Frank Perez making it 10-6. The Toros would plate an insurance run in the seventh on a leadoff home run by Danny Jacobs, his second of the game to account for the final margin of victory.

The Toros (18-12-1, 9-7 CCAA) were led by Jacobs going 2-4 with two home runs. Pruitt, Perez and Damien Lopez each also had home runs in the game. LHP Steve Ressa (1-0) earned his first win of the season pitching the final 4-2/3 inning of relief. Ressa allowed only 1 run on 3 hits while striking out 8 Gator batters.

The Gators (13-17, 6-12 CCAA) were led by Ryan Cope going 2-5 at the plate with 2 runs and an RBI. Starting RHP Robert Torres (2-1) took the loss going 5-1/3 innings allowing 10 runs on 11 hits.

In the second game, the Toros were down 5-2 in the fifth inning before Edgar Esqueda blasted a pinch-hit grand slam to give his squad a 6-5 lead. But San Francisco answered with four runs in the top of the sixth on two bases loaded walks by reliever Brian Cortes followed by two errors by CSUDH second baseman David Keesee giving the Gators a 9-6 lead. That is where it stayed when the game was halted due to darkness.

The game will be resumed tomorrow prior to the start of the final game of this 4-game series. First pitch is set for 12:00 noon.