CARSON, Calif. – The Cal State San Marcos baseball team dropped both ends of a California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) twinbill against Cal State Dominguez Hills on Saturday at Toro Field.
 
The Cougars fall to 15-23 on the season and 5-21 in conference action. The Toros improve to 13-25 overall and 11-17 in CCAA play.
 
Freshman third baseman Anthony Rodriguez recorded three hits on the day. Junior outfielder Colin Dvorak, sophomore designated hitter/catcher Isaias Torres and freshman outfielder Jose Osete each tallied two hits.
 
Next up for the Cougars is a four-game split-venue series with Cal Poly Pomona next weekend.
 
GAME 1: CSUDH 7 – CSUSM 4
The Cougars tied the game three separate times but was unable to take the lead against the Toros in the doubleheader opener.
 
CSUDH took a 2-0 lead in the first frame on an Esteban Ortega 2-RBI double down the left line.
 
CSUSM got on the scoreboard in the third inning. Junior shortstop Tyler Place drew a two-out walk, advanced to second on a balk, stole third and scored on Dvorak's single to right field. Dvorak plated on a Torres single after stealing second to get into scoring position.
 
The Toros broke the 2-2 tie with a run on three hits in the bottom of the frame.
 
The Cougars once again evened the game in the fourth inning. Freshman outfielder Griffin Teisher stole second during freshman Reed LaBar's at bat and on the throw to second, junior second baseman Nico Maida broke for home and scored to make it 3-3.
 
Senior Taylor Ahearn and CSUDH's Ethan Etchebarren each tossed three consecutive shutout innings before CSUDH got on top again in the seventh. Pinch hitter Brandon Evans hit a leadoff double and later scored on Brandon Polizzi's single to left field to make it 4-3 ballgame.
 
CSUSM answered with a run in the next frame after Torres drew a leadoff walk, moved 90 feet on a sacrifice bunt by designated hitter J.T. Sole, advanced on Rodriguez's single and touched home on a fielder's choice by Maida.
 
The Toros broke the game open with three runs that included back-to-back doubles by Miguel Castaneda and Daryl Donerson in the bottom of the eighth.
 
 Senior Hayden Weir (2-5) took the loss after one inning of relief while CSUDH's Joe Bresson (4-5) collected the win after 1.2 shutout innings on the hill.
 
GAME 2: CSUDH 6 – CSUSM 5
The Toros struck first with a run in the opening frame. The Cougars took their first lead of the day at 5-1, taking advantage of three errors to score five runs over the fourth and fifth innings
 
The lead didn't last long as CSUDH posted four runs on four hits in the bottom of the fifth inning to even the game at 5-5.
 
A bunt single by Shawn Sweeney scored Oretega, who led off the sixth inning with a walk, put the Toros up 6-5.
 
CSUDH's Nick Suniga (3-6) went 2.1 shutout innings to collect the win. Junior Brady Smith took the loss after walking the two batters he faced in the sixth.