By Kaila Morales |Staff Writer|
CSUSB baseball was able to defeat Cal State Dominguez Hills (CSUDH), winning three out of four games, with a doubleheader sweep in an attempt to clinch a spot in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Tournament.
The Coyotes dropped the first game of the series on April 21, losing 2-1.
Left-handed pitcher Don Sullivan got the start for the series opener at Toro Field.
CSUDH was robbed of a run as center fielder Damion Edmonds made a perfect play, throwing the ball to the plate for an out.
“It was set up well by positioning coming from the coaches in the dugout, getting me in the right area according to the hitter, that led me to get a good break on the ball and have a chance to make the play,” said Edmonds.
“Lopez also made a great play adjusting to the throw to get the runner,” added Edmonds.
Sullivan threw six shutout innings until the seventh inning where the Toros earned two runs.
Catcher Andrew Lopez was able to put the Coyotes on the board in the eighth inning with an RBI single that brought infielder Grant Buchanan in to score.
Game two of the four game series had a better outcome for the Coyotes, who won the game 4-3 the afternoon of April 22 at Toro Field.
Infielder/relief pitcher William Ouellette played a key role in the game, going 3-for-4 at the plate, then switching positions to become the relief pitcher for the Coyotes, earning his sixth save of the season.
The Coyotes secured a 2-0 lead in the third with a leadoff home run to left by first basemen Brian Lockey.
Lopez then followed with an RBI single to left field to score Edmonds.
The Toros added also added a run in the third and two in the fourth.
CSUDH held a 3-2 lead against the Coyotes until the eighth inning.
Ouellette singled and advanced to third on an error, scoring on a wild pitch.
Infielder Dylan Lohman popped out to right field, giving left fielder Ryan Rich the opportunity to score, giving the Coyotes a 4-3 lead.
CSUDH had the opportunity to tie the game in the ninth, but Ouellette retired the batters he faced with a strikeout and two fly-outs to end the game with a win for the Coyotes.
The Coyotes then secured their doubleheader sweep at home on April 23 scoring 16 runs in the first game and winning game two with a walk off.
CSUSB scored 11 runs through the first four innings in the first game of the doubleheader.
Brian Conley was the starter, going six inning and only giving up five hits and three walks with a total of three strikeouts.
Rich went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBI’s. Lohman had a pair of RBI doubles and Buchanan had a two-run single.
Ouellette knocked out a homer in the eighth inning and catcher Ryan Cooper added a two run double to total all 16 runs of the game for a 16-4 victory.
In the final face off against the Toros, the Coyotes were able to clinch the series.
Down 4-3 Infielder Jake Caron stepped up to the plate in the Coyotes final at bat. Caron singled up the middle to get the walk-off win.
“I was happy to be given that opportunity, to be in that situation. I was just trying to simplify things and not try to do too much,” said Caron.
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