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Softball

Two big innings lead Toros to first-round win

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With their backs against the wall in an elimination game, the bats came alive for Cal State Dominguez Hills in the middle innings to earn an 8-3 win over Cal State Monterey Bay in the first round of the 2023 CCAA Softball Tournament.
 
In the top of the fourth, CSUMB took its largest lead of the game (3-0) on a two-run single by Kieley Ganaden. The Toros stormed back with five runs in the fourth and three more in the fifth to earn the win.
 
The fourth inning started as most big innings do, with a leadoff walk. An error followed, and then the Elite 13 Award winner for Softball, Kaylee Hull, singled through the left side to plate the first run for CSUDH. They added another two batters later on a sacrifice fly.
 
Now with two outs, it looked like the Otters would be able to limit the damage and still escape with the lead. That is when Sydney Diaz came all the way around the bases without the benefit of a hit and scored on a throwing error by the catcher to tie the game at 3-3. Alani Nguyen kept the rally going with a single, and then Maiya Lopez launched a two-run homer to give the Toros their first lead of the game (5-3).
 
Cal State Dominguez Hills proceeded to put up a shutdown inning in the top of the fifth before scoring three more in the bottom of the inning. Jaime had a sacrifice fly to extend the lead to 6-3 before Nguyen doubled in two more.
 
Ashley Wies, who had come into the game in a tough spot in the top of the fourth, put up zeroes the rest of the way to earn her 10th win. All five runs that were charged to CSUMB's Cassie Gasper were unearned, but the 2023 CCAA Most Valuable Pitcher was still saddled with the loss.
 
Eight of the nine starters for CSUDH registered a hit. Nguyen and Jaime each had multi-hit games. Gracie Strycula, Ivana Perez, and Alyssa Burt each had two hits for the Otters.
 
Cal State Dominguez Hills will advance to the double-elimination portion of the 2023 CCAA Softball Tournament. They will face the No. 2 seed, Cal State San Bernardino, at 1 p.m.