SAN MARCOS, Calif. – The Cal State San Marcos baseball team rallied back to earn a doubleheader split against Menlo College Saturday afternoon at CSUSM Baseball Field.  The Cougars dropped game one 3-1 before collecting a 5-4 victory (7-innings) in the nightcap.
 
The Oaks spread out eight hits over seven batters to clinch their season opener win.  In game two, CSUSM took a 5-2 lead in the fourth inning and prevented a Menlo charge to hold on to the victory.
 
CSUSM (1-2) and Menlo (1-0) will play the rubber match of the three-game series Sunday, Jan. 25 at 11 a.m.
 
GAME 1
The Cougars would be the first to strike in the opening game thanks to a defensive miscue by the Oaks. Dylan Costello reached on an error and advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Austin Ott.  After moving 90 feet on a passed ball, Costello reached home on Brandon Bentson's groundout to second to take a 1-0 lead in the first inning.
 
Menlo answered with a run in both the second and third innings. Chris Berry led off with a single and stole second.  A two-out dropped infield pop fly scored Berry and evened the game at 1-1.  The Oaks took the lead in the third on Alex Boucher's RBI single up the middle.
 
Adam Ochart's RBI single accounted for Menlo's final run in the eighth inning.
 
Thomas Cox collected the win after 5.2 innings of work. Kyle Montiel was tagged with the loss despite both runs being unearned in his five innings of action. He struck out four batters and walked none.
 
GAME 2
Before anyone could blink, Menlo took a 1-0 lead thanks to a leadoff home run by Ochart.  The Oaks added to their lead after Wes Hoskin's RBI double to the left field corner. 
 
CSUSM's bats came alive in the third inning, scoring three runs on two hits and two Menlo errors. Tyler Place drew a walk to lead off and advanced to third when Costello's single up the middle caused Menlo's second baseman and shortstop to collide. CSUSM got on the board when Place scored on a Menlo error. The final two runs of the inning came on Ray Patchen's RBI single and when a pitch with bases loaded hit pinch-hitter Kyle Hansen.
 
The Cougars added two more runs in the fourth inning. With bases loaded and one out, Patchen hit into a fielder's choice and Stefan Miladinovich's RBI single made it 5-2 CSUSM.
 
The Oaks closed the gap with two runs on three hits in the fifth. With two outs and runners on second and third, reliever Jordan Kunz struck out Berry.
 
Starter Emilio Esquibel earned CSUSM's first win of 2015, going 4.1 innings. Closer Justin Hertzmann collected the save after striking out two of the three batters he faced in the final inning.