CARSON, Calif. – The Cal State San Marcos baseball team took both ends of Sunday's California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) doubleheader over Cal State Dominguez Hills by scores 12-10 and 4-2 at Toro Field. With today's sweep, the Cougars capture its first conference series win of the season.
 
CSUSM had seven players with at least two hits on the day including junior Marcus Wilhite who finished 3-for-10 with four RBIs and two runs in the two games. The Cougars combined for 19 hits for the day. Classmate Troy Lamparello (3-1) tossed a seven-inning complete game, giving up two runs on seven hits while striking out seven and walking one.
 
Following the wins on Sunday, the Cougars have won three-straight games and improve to 9-5 overall and 4-4 in CCAA play. The Toros fell to 5-9, 2-6 CCAA.
 
The Cougars are next in action when they travel north to take on CCAA opponent San Francisco State in a four-game series beginning on Friday, March 9. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.
 
GAME 1: CSUSM 12 – CSUDH 10
With neither team able to muster much offense through the first three frames, it was CSUSM to score first. After a stolen base from junior Cabot Van Til, fellow junior Justin Mellano came through with a one-out single that eventually scored Van Til following a Toro error to make it 1-0 Cougars heading to the bottom of the fourth.
 
The CSUSM lead would not last long. CSUDH would then quickly score seven runs on seven hits and take advantage of three CSUSM errors on defense to take a 7-1 lead through four complete innings. All seven hits were singles.
 
The Cougars would then score seven runs spread over the next four innings to come all the way from behind and erase a once six-run deficit to tie the game at 8-8 in the eighth inning. CSUSM scored three times in the inning including a 2-RBI double from sophomore Anthony Rodriguez before freshman Michael Lopez's one-out single plated Rodriguez and tied the score.
 
The score would remain tied 8-8 until the 13th inning.
 
With two on and one-out a Wilhite single through the right side would plate two runners and give CSUSM its first lead since 1-0 in the fourth inning. Juniors Austin Ott and Mellano would both drive in a run to give the Cougars a 12-8 lead going into the bottom of the 13th.
 
The Toros threatened and scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning but eventually fell short with the tying run at the plate.
 
Working the final four innings, junior Brandon Bachman (1-1) earned the win, giving up two runs on three hits while striking out three.
 
CSUDH's Daryl Donerson finished 3-for-6 with 2 RBIs, two runs and a walk for the game.
 
GAME 2: CSUSM 4 – CSUDH 2
Ignited by the extra-inning win, CSUSM carried the momentum into game two and scored first on an RBI single from senior Aidan Stinnett and led 1-0 after one.
 
The Cougars would later pad their lead with a pair of runs in the third inning following two errors from the Toros.
 
CSUDH pushed a run across on two hits and cut the Cougar lead to 3-1 after three complete innings.
 
The Toros would score again in the fourth on a home run by Kaelen Crisosto to make it 3-2 CSUSM.
 
The Cougars got a big insurance run in the sixth on a sacrifice fly by sophomore Griffin Teisher and plate Stinnett to make it 4-2.
 
That would be all the run support Lamparello would need. He retired the last seven hitters he faced including three strikeouts.
 
CSUSM was out-hit 7-4 for the game.
 
Kai Gomez went 2-for-4 with a run to lead the Toros offensively. Ray Diaz (0-1) takes the loss after working all seven innings, giving up four runs (1 earned) on four hits and struck out six.