Owen’s Masterpiece Leads to Toros First Win of Baseball Season, 2-1
Torrance native records nine strikeouts to pick up first win of the season
February 9, 2006

Complete Box Score

San Bernardino, CA- Senior Ryan Owen (Torrance, CA/West Torrance HS) tossed 8.1 innings, fanning nine batters against one run and five scattered hits to lead the Toros to their first win of the 2006 season with a 2-1 nail-biter over Cal Poly Pomona in non-conference action. With the win, CSUDH improves to 1-3, while CPP falls to 1-5.

The Toros got things going in the bottom of the 1st with good old fashioned “small ball.” After Cody Puckett (Apple Valley, CA/Hesperia HS) led off the game with a single to left field, Houston Hernandez (La Mirada, CA/St. Paul HS) dropped a perfect sacrifice bunt to move Puckett to second. After Puckett advanced to third on a ground out to the right side of the infield, Jason Klug (Moreno Valley, CA/SB Valley College) stepped into the batter’s box and laced a single up the middle to score Puckett.

That run was more than enough for starter Owen as he came out razor sharp from the outset, retiring the Broncos in order in the 1st and then striking out the side in the 2nd. Owen would retire two more Broncos before a CPP runner reached base, courtesy of an Owen base on balls. Owen would remain in command, however, inducing a ground out to escape the 3rd unscathed.

The score remained 1-0 until the top of the 5th, using a leadoff single off Owen’s shoe and an ensuing Chris Wilson double to place runners at 2nd and 3rd with no outs. Chase Stroupe would bring the 1st run home for the Broncos on a fielder’s choice, but that would be all as Owen kept his composure and fanned the next two CPP hitters to end the inning.

Martin Conde (Los Angeles, CA/Fremont HS) led off the bottom of the 5th with a bloop single to right field, and Fred Medina (Santa Ana/Century HS) followed with a single to put runners on 1st and 2nd with no out. After Bronco starter Anthony Romero retired the next batter, an attempted double-steal backfired as Hernandez lined a shot to the Bronco second baseman, who promptly tossed the ball to first for the inning-ending double play.

CSUDH would take the lead in the bottom of the 7th as Isidro Perez (South Gate, CA/LA Harbor College) doubled to left field and scored on a Medina single, putting the Toros up, 2-1.

The Broncos would start bucking in the 9th as Robbie Carter led off the inning by beating out a high chopper to 3rd, advancing an additional base on an errant throw. Owen would strike out the next batter before Kevin Falls hit a ball deep in the hole to shortstop that Puckett fielded, and beat out the long throw to put runners at the corners with one out.

With a 3-1 count on CPP’s next batter, Owen was relieved by Dustin Gober (Long Beach, CA/Compton College), who proceeded to walk the Bronco, loading the bases. With one out and bases loaded, Gober was able to get the next hitter to pop out to 3rd, and induce a liner to 2nd from the next batter, slamming the door on the Bronco rally to record his first save of the season.

For the Broncos, Romero would be credited with the complete game loss, giving up two runs on eight hits while striking out five. Offensively the Broncos would have five different batters record all five of their hits.

Owen pitched a beauty for the Toros in picking up his first win of the season, tossing 8.1 innings while scattering five hits and fanning nine. Medina would lead CSUDH with three hits on the night and one RBI, while Klug would chip in two hits of his own along with one RBI.

The Toros will next be in action tomorrow, as they take on the Coyotes of San Bernardino at Arrowhead Stadium in San Bernardino, CA. First pitch is scheduled for 6:00 pm.