San Marcos struggled with defense in both games, allowing nine unearned runs over the course of the day.  In game one, the Cougars got off to a strong start, going up 4-1 after three innings.  James Scott got the game started with a leadoff homer, Ricardo Moran added a solo shot of his own in the third, and Mike Pena drove in two with a single.

But things turned in the fifth inning, when a pair of errors opened up the door for a big rally against starting pitcher Johnny Holtman.  Doane scored six runs in the inning, taking a 7-4 lead.

Scott got one of those runs back with an RBI double in the bottom of the inning, then the Cougars went back on top in the fifth.  Dane Ponciano, Josh Miller, and Mike Pena drew walks to lead off the inning, and Austin Coleman knocked in the first run with an RBI single.  That brought second baseman Louie Russo to the plate, and the righty delivered a huge grand slam.  Moran and Scott would add RBI's later in the inning, putting the Cougars up 11-7.

Once again though, Doane would come back.  They scored four runs off the CSUSM bullpen in the eighth, and were threatening for more - but reliever Cheyne Gorski got a strike out and a pop up to strand runners on base.

With the game now 11-11, the Cougars would finally put the game away once and for all.  Coleman got the big hit, a two-run homer that made the game 13-11.  Eric Julienne came in for the ninth and easily picked up the save, striking out two of the three hitters he faced.

Game two would be equally close, but unfortunately not end in the same result. 

Starting pitcher Morgan Wynne was very effective, throwing strikes and mixing in solid off-speed stuff over his four innings of work.  He struck out 7 and allowed just two earned runs.

His lineup gave him early support, as CSUSM took a 3-1 first inning lead.  Scott led the inning off with a single, Moran drew a walk.  After a couple outs, a Josh Miller hit-by-pitch loaded the bases, Mike Pena drew a walk to score the first run.  Coleman followed that up with another clutch hit, a two-RBI single.

The Cougars extended the lead in the third on an RBI single by Pena, but an inning-ending double play stopped what looked to be a promising inning.  That run would be the Cougars' last of the day.

Down 4-1, Doane started chipping away in the fourth inning of the seven-inning game, picking up a run after an error extended the inning.  They would tie it up the following inning, and go ahead in the sixth on a passed ball.  Despite the Cougars' best efforts in the seventh, the 5-4 score would hold up.

These two teams will play another double-header tomorrow at Poway High, starting at noon.