Box Score SAN MARCOS, Calif. – Denny Vigo drove in five runs and the No. 16 Cal State San Marcos baseball team got the monkey of its back, blowing out Simpson 17-3 on the way to its first victory of the 2014 season on Thursday afternoon at CSUSM Baseball Field.

Vigo's three-run double in the third inning broke the game open before his two-run single in the seventh inning essentially put the game out of reach.  Adam Tapia was 3-for-4 with two RBI and three runs scored, while John Swilley went 2-for-5 with three RBI. Dylan also scored three times. 

The Cougars improve to 1-4 overall and end their longest losing streak to start a season since 2007. Simpson remains winless at 0-8 overall.

"We should have won a couple of our previous games, but we just didn't play well enough up until this point," said CSUSM head coach Dennis Pugh. "It'll come around and we'll play better. We have a lot of younger players in the lineup who just need to get some experience. Once they get some experience, they're going to get better and better."

CSUSM took an early 2-0 lead after Rich Montanez and Tapia came through with two-out, RBI singles in the bottom of the first.

In their next at-bat, Kory Smith and Tyler Bernard drew back-t0-back, two-out walks off SU starter Walker Gemmill (0-1) before Swilley brought home Smith with an RBI single to right center.

Vigo broke it open in the third. Gemmill continued to struggle with his control, surrendering a pair of walks before Tapia's single loaded the bases with one out. Vigo made Gemmill pay, lacing a line drive into the left-field corner that cleared the bases and put CSUSM up, 6-0.

With the score 6-1 in the top of the fifth, CSUSM starter Hunter Brown (1-0) got himself into some trouble by allowing a couple walks that loaded the bases. Brown then fell behind 3-0 to Eiden Whisman, but was able to work the count full after painting the corners with back-to-back strikes.

However, Whisman sent the next delivery up the middle, bringing home a pair of runners to make it 6-3.

The threat was far from over with runners still on the corners and the Red Hawks' fifth batter at the plate, but Brown struck-out Ryan Lombardi looking to end the inning. It was the last pitch for Brown, who surrendered just three hits and a pair of earned runs while striking out five.

SU nearly made a game of it in the top of the seventh. CSUSM reliever Clinton Perez gave up a hit and a walk to start the inning and then saw the runners take second and third with no out on a wild pitch.

But, the lefty forced a grounder back to the box from Daniel Mills before striking out Richard Asdourian and Whisman to end the threat.

Perez's ability to keep the lead seemed to ignite the Cougars in the bottom half of the seventh. Dylan Costello and Montanez walked before Tapia brought home Costello with a single up the middle.

Vigo followed with a line drive up the middle, scoring pinch runner Noah Buchanan and Costello to make it 9-3.

Gemmill continued to have issues controlling his knuckleball and subsequently gave up two more walks to load the bases. The next batter was no different either, as Swilley received a free pass to force in Tapia. The Cougars got their final run of the inning when reliever Andrew Hatfield threw his first pitch to the backstop which allowed Smith to score from third.

The Cougars added six more runs in their final at-bat. Costello and Buchanan scored on wild pitches before Kyle Hansen notched his first RBI as a Cougar with an RBI single through the left side.

Bernard registered a sacrifice fly before Swilley came through with another RBI single. Costello added a two-out, RBI single for good measure.

Matt Bataska made his first appearance out of the bullpen for CSUSM, working a flawless eighth inning before striking out Harold Adams to end the game.

SU pitchers combined to give up 17 walks and six wild pitches.

The Cougars hit the road tomorrow for a doubleheader at La Sierra starting at 11:00 a.m. The teams will play two seven-inning games.

CSUSM's next home game is on Tuesday, February 4 against Chapman at 2:00 p.m.