Box Score
SAN FRANCISCO— Cal State Dominguez Hills rallied back from a 3-1 deficit to defeat the SF State Gators 8-3 in the first game of this weekend's four-game series at SF State's Maloney Field.  The Toros scored 7 runs in the final two innings to key their come-from-behind win over the Gators.
 
The Toros' late inning rally spoiled Gator starter Ryan DeJesus' outing.  DeJesus up until the eighth inning, gave up just one run on just three hits and had a stretch of retiring 10 straight Cal State Dominguez Hills' batters.  The senior pitcher, gave up four hits and three runs, striking out 5 and walking one.
 
SF State (12-25, 9-20 CCAA) took a 1-0 lead in the bottom half of the first inning.  Miguel Flores scored on a two-out double to right center field by Justin Lamb.  Flores reached on a fielder's choice.
 
The Toros came back and tied the game in the top of the second on a two-out double by Danny Halley which scored Brady Conlan.  Conlan lead off the inning with a single to left field.
 
The Gators took a 3-1 lead with a two-run fourth inning.  AJ Pianto and Mark Lindsay had back-to-back singles to lead off the inning.  Carter Loud reached on a fielder's choice to put runners on first and second.  Joe Chedid reached on another fielder's choice to put runners on the corners with two outs which Lindsay scored on an errant throwing error by the Toros.  Then AJ Almaraz hit a two-out single to center field which drove in Chedid to give the hosts the 3-1 lead.
 
The score remained 3-1 until the Toro eighth inning.  Haley led off the inning being by a pitch.  He went to second on a one-out single by David Steininger.  Kevin Logan's bunt single loaded the bases for Ivory Thomas.  Thomas hit the second pitch he saw for a two-run single through the left side to tie the game at 2-2. 
 
Chris Allen then was hit by a pitch to load the bases.  Fernandon Gallegos reached on a fielder's choice which Logan scored on a and Thomas scored on a Gator throwing error to give the Toros a 5-3 lead.
 
SF State had a chance to tie the game in its half of the eighth inning.  Flores and Lamb had back-to-back singles to lead off the inning.  The Toros then picked off Flores at second.  Lamb then went to second on a wild pitch.  Toro starter Sean Wardour then struck out the next Gator batter.  Lindsay walked with two outs and Danny Souza came in to pinch run for him.  Carter Loud singled to load the bases but Wardour struck out the next SF State batter to preserve the 5-3 visitor lead.
 
Cal State Dominguez Hills (17-17, 13-12 CCAA) broke the game open with a three-run ninth as the Toros held on for the 8-3 come-from-behind win.
 
Wardour (6-3) picked up the win, pitching 7.2 innings, giving up 8 hits and three runs (one earned) while striking out six and walking three.  Matt Montgomery and Taylor Johnson pitched 1.1 scoreless innings of relief, giving up just one hit, walking one and striking out two.
 
Steininger and Avila each had two hits apiece while Thomas and Steininger drove in two runs apiece.
 
Lamb had two of the Gators' 9 hits.  Peter Reyes (1-5) recorded the loss in relief for the hosts.
 
The two teams will continue the four-game series tomorrow morning with an 11am starting doubleheader at SF State's Maloney Field.  The series will conclude this Sunday morning at 11am with a single nine-inning game.