Photo by Kyle Umeda.
By Daniel Giovati
Sports Editor
Left-handed pitcher Rigo Fernandez takes the Feb. 8 hill against California Baptist University.
Heading into their first conference games of the 2018 season, the CSUDH baseball team stands at a 3-3 record, claiming one win in a three-game series against a formidable opponent and taking two out of the three in San Diego.
The Toros started off the regular series against a tough non-conference opponent, California Baptist University. The Lancers, a perennial postseason team that finished in first place of the Division II Pacific West Conference the past three years, is elevating to Division I status after this season, joining the Western Athletic Conference.
Scheduling such a tough opponent early in the season is something you see many top collegiate football and basketball teams do, in order to help prepare for the grueling conference season ahead. If that’s the case with CSUDH, it was a good decision, as the team managed an extra inning win in the first game and were close in all but the third game.
In the first game, Feb. 8 at Toro Field, the Toros won in dramatic fashion, junior infielder Esteban Ortega taking a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the ninth inning to force in the winning run for a 5-4 Toro victory. The Toros led 2-1 heading into the top of the fifth, but the Lancers tagged starting pitcher Rigo Fernandez for three in the top of the fifth. While the Toro bullpen was flawless the next four innings, the offense battled back, scoring a run in the sixth inning on an RBI single by freshman infielder Justin Morris and two in the seventh, thanks to a triple by junior catcher Evan Yeager and an RBI single by freshman infielder Jordan James.
The series shifted to Riverside for game two on Friday night at Cal Baptist University. Other than Ortega’s run-scoring double that scored James, the Toros were unable to muster up much offense in the 5-1 defeat.
The rubber match of the three-game series was all Lancers, who scored four runs in the third and never looked back in a 15-4 drubbing. Junior first baseman Dalton Duarte had a good game, including his first home run of the season, but it wasn’t enough.
Things ticked up in the three-game series against the Point Loma Sea Lions last weekend. Led by a dynamite pitching performance from Fernandez, who struck out eight and didn’t allow a run in six innings, and propelled by Duarte’s two-run homerun, the Toros claimed the 2-1 victory in the first game.
Duarte homered for the third consecutive game on Feb. 16, in a 6-2 Toros loss.
The final game of the series did not disappoint, with the Toros, keyed by a five-run fourth inning, taking a tense, 6-5 victory.
Point Loma opened the scoring with a run in the first inning off CSUDH junior pitcher Joe Mercado, who gave up two runs over six innings, to take a 1-0 lead. That held up until the fourth inning. Junior outfielder Eduardo Frayre-Cerda mashed a two-run homer to put the Toros ahead 2-1. The team scored score three more runs in the inning off RBI singles from juniors Trevor North, John Gonzalez and Kai Gomez to make the score 5-1.
Point Loma charged back in the eighth inning behind a three-run home run to pull within a run of the Toros, but that is as close as the Sea Lions would get. Freshman pitcher Matt Stearns pitched sharply for the final 1.2 innings, shutting the door on Point Loma and getting the save.
Stat-wise, senior outfielder Daryl Donerson was consistent throughout the first six games, hitting safely in five of them, , including three hits in its final game against Point Loma. His .320 batting average leads the team among players who started every game. Duarte leads in the power categories, with three home runs, six RBIs and a towering .640 slugging average that matches his 6-foot 6-inch frame. Gomez only played in four games, but also stood out, hitting .429 in his 14 at bats and tied for second with three runs.
On the mound, staring pitcher Fernandez has been dominant at times, leading the team in innings pitched (10.1), holding batters to a .167 average and hurling 16 strikeouts. The bullpen has also been sharp, with Ray Diaz, Jacob Musial and Nick Suniga, combining for only two runs in 10 innings.
The Toros begin conference play on Thursday, hosting a four-game series against UC San Diego and then two games at Cal State San Marcos, March 2-3, and then two at home, March 4-5.
