Corso Enjoys 6-for-9 Effort, Including Two Home Runs, as Toros Split Baseball Twinbill With No. 16-Ranked UCSD
Senior drives in 7 and scores 3 as CSUDH salvages one game of three-game set
April 23, 2005

Complete Box Scores
vs. SSU        vs. SFSU

Carson, CA -- Senior 1B Ian Corso (Thousand Oaks, CA/CS Stanislaus) went 6-for-9 with two home runs on the afternoon, driving in seven RBI while scoring three times as CSUDH literally hung on to take a 9-7 nightcap win over No. 16-ranked UC San Diego after falling 19-10 in the opening day slugfest.

With the split, the Toros move to 21-26, 11-20 CCAA, while the Tritons now are at 25-16, 20-14 CCAA.

The Toros jumped on UCSD starter Byron Grubman in game two, touching him for three runs in both the third and fifth innings. Triton reliever Ryan Leake fared no better as CSUDH scored three times off him in the sixth inning to take a commanding 9-3 lead.

UCSD, however, would rally in its last at-bat, scoring four times to narrow the lead to 9-7. The visitors were inches from taking the lead when, with two out and runners on first and second, pinch-hitter Joel Clark sent a deep shot to right center. Ricky Eda (Palos Verdes, CA/LA Harbor JC), however, made certain Clark's efforts would go for naught as the 6'1" senior extended his glove over the right-center field fence and secured the would-be go-ahead home run for the final out of the game.

Toro freshman Gary Scott (Redondo Beach, CA/Redondo Union HS) allowed five runs on 10 hits to pick up his 3rd win of the year (3-4), while UCSD's Grubman was touched for six runs and eight hits in the loss (3-3). Pedro Gutierrez (Carson, CA/LA Harbor JC) retired Clark to earn the save (3) while Corso led a quartet of Toros with two hits, while leading the run production with three RBI in the nightcap.

Game one saw the Tritons bang 23 hits en route to taking a 10-2 lead after 4½ innings, six runs coming in the 4th inning.

Matt Lawson led UCSD with four hits while Brad Beltz and Keith Hernandez contributed three hits apiece, combining for five RBI. Corso had a stellar day at the plate with a 4-for-5 effort, driving in four runs and scoring twice, while CCAA home run leader Eda hammered his first of two home runs on the day in the 5th.

Toro starter Chris Borchers (Torrance, CA/LA Harbor JC) allowed 10 runs on 13 hits in just 4.1 innings of work to take the loss (3-7), while UCSD's Matt Sweany threw 2.0 innings of relief for the win (2-0).

The Toros host perennial power Chico State for a four-game set beginning Friday, April 29. First pitch for that contest is at 2:00 p.m. on Toro Field.