Toros Baseball Benefit From Four Gator Errors in 6-3 Win
Hopps records second complete game of season as CSUDH takes 3-of-4 from SFSU
March 26, 2006

Complete Box Score

Carson, CA – Sophomore pitcher Matt Hopps (Torrance, CA/South HS) paced the Toros on the mound in tossing his second complete game of the season while Jason Klug (Moreno Valley, CA/San Bernardino Valley College) recorded three hits on the afternoon, extending his hitting streak to 14 games as the Toros took the fourth and final game of the four-game set, 6-3. With the win, the Toros took three out of four and improve to 14-13, 7-7 CCAA. With the loss, SFSU falls to 12-15, 6-10 CCAA.

In the 3rd, SFSU’s Aaron Garcia would lead off the inning with a single up the middle and would move to 2nd on a sacrifice bunt. Hopps would retire the next batter via strikeout, but with two outs Derek Simper would lace a ball back up the middle, scoring Garcia from second for an early 1-0 Gator lead.

CSUDH would find its offense in the 4th after Klug led off the inning with a triple past a diving center fielder. Isidro Perez (South Gate, CA/ LA Harbor College) would follow with a sacrifice fly to center field to bring home Klug and knot the game at 1-1.

The Gators would break the tie in the top of the 5th behind the legs of Garcia, who would single to left, steal second, and advance to third on a passed ball. Hopps would settle and get the next two batters out via strikeout before inducing a ground ball. However, the throw sailed wide first, allowing Garcia to score for a 2-1 SFSU advantage.

The Toros would take their turn capitalizing on errors in their half of the 5th. Cody Puckett (Apple Valley, CA/Hesperia HS) hit a fly ball to left center field that was dropped, allowing him to advance to second base. After moving to 3B on a third on a ground out, Fred Medina (Santa Ana, CA/Century HS) would hit a ground ball to the second baseman, whose throw sailed wide allowing Puckett to knot the game at 2-2.

CSUDH would take the lead in the bottom of the 6th, scoring four runs courtesy of an RBI double by Klug and RBI singles by Perez, Mateo Marquez (Biggs, CA/Cal State LA), and Medina to extend their lead to 6-2.

The Gators would add a single run in the top of the 8th on and RBI ground out by Casey Garrison, cutting the Toro lead to 6-3, and bring the tying run to the plate in the top of the 9th after a lead off walk and a single up the middle. With two outs and runners on first and second, however, Hopps would induce Jason Dean to fly to left for the final out of the game.

Gator starter Jason Swick would receive loss, tossing 5.0 innings, and allowing five runs on seven hits, while Garcia led the Gator offense, going 3-for-4 on day with a stolen base and two runs scored

Hopps would get his fourth win of the season, giving up three runs on eight hits, while striking out five batters and hurling 132 pitches, 84 of which were strikes.

Klug would record three hits on the day, while Perez, Stanley, and Medina each chipped in two hits apiece.

The Toros will next be in action Friday, March 31, when they hit the road and travel to Rohnert Park to take on Sonoma State for game one of a four-game series, with first pitched scheduled for 2:00 pm.