Toros Win Baseball Series Finale over Sonoma State
CSUDH uses 15-hit attack to capture series finale; drop resumed game from yesterday, 6-4
April 6, 2003

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CARSON, Calif.--Zac Cort led a 15-hit Toro attack with four hits on the day to help give Cal State Dominguez Hills a 9-5 win Sunday afternoon in the California Collegiate Athletic Association series finale over visiting Sonoma State. The Seawolves won the resumption of yesterday's suspended game, 6-4, which was played prior to the start of the regularly scheduled game today.

Ruben Salazar set a new single season doubles record with his 22nd of the year Sunday against Sonoma State in the Toros 9-5 win. (File photo)

In the completion of the game that was suspended yesterday due to darkness with the game tied at four runs apiece, Sonoma State took advantage of five Toro errors leading to four unearned runs in the game. The Seawolves wasted no time putting the Toros away in the top of the ninth on Adam Rachlin's game-winning two-out RBI double. Rachlin then stole third and scored on Toro catcher Efren Esparza's throwing error, making it 6-4.

Ryan McClelland came on in the ninth to record his fifth save of the season allowing one hit. Aaron Damm (4-0) earned the win pitching 3.0 innings of scoreless relief allowing only two hits.

Aldo Silva (2-6) was the tough-luck loser despite pitching good enough to win. Silva pitched a complete game five-hitter giving up six runs, only two earned, while striking out a career-high 12 batters.

CSUDH (20-21, 14-18 CCAA) ended the weekend on a positive note with a 9-5 win in the regularly scheduled game. The Toros scored in each of the first six innings and saw sophomore third baseman Ruben Salazar (St. John Bosco HS) break the single season doubles record with his 22nd on the year.

The Toros scored four times in the first three innings on two sacrifice flies and run-scoring doubles from Frank Perez and Zac Cort, who finished the day 4-for-4 with two runs and two driven in.

Cal State Dominguez Hills tacked on five more runs in the next three inning to take a commanding 9-0 lead after six. With two out and two on in the fourth, Joe Gevas knocked in a run with a single followed by Salazar's record-breaking double down the left field line for a RBI.

The Toros scored a run on an error in the fifth and got two more in the sixth on back-to-back RBI singles from Tony Marquez and Cort for the 9-0 lead.

Sonoma (28-11-1, 15-9 CCAA) finally got on the board in the seventh with two runs on run-scoring singles from Effren Trejo and Brandon Burgess.

Tom Everidge added another run with an RBI single in the eighth inning to make it 9-3. SSU put up two more runs in the ninth after a solo home run from Burgess and an RBI double from Dennis Peters, but that was as close as the Seawolves would get.

Brian Cortes (4-2) was solid today going the first 7.0 innings to earn the victory. Cortes gave up two runs on eight hits while striking out three. Troy Doram, Chris Ingstad and Chris Abbott combined to pitch the final two innings in relief. Cort led the 15-hit CSUDH attack with four hits while Mike Milstead added three hits and three runs on the day.

Noah Sweeters (3-2) took the loss on the mound for SSU going 5.0 innings allowing seven runs on 10 hits. Burgess led Sonoma at the plate going 3-for-4 with two RBI including his eighth homer of the season.

The Toros are back in CCAA action next weekend travelling to UC Davis for a four game series beginning on Friday. First pitch is slated for 2:30 p.m.