SAN MARCOS, Calif. – The Cal State San Marcos baseball team (7-12, 3-6 CCAA) began its four-game series against Cal State San Bernardino (13-10, 9-4 CCAA) with an 11-9 win on Friday at CSUSM Baseball Field.
TOP PERFORMERS
Zack Berohn – 1-for-3 | 3 RBIs | 2 BB | 1 R | 1 3B
Ethan Rivera – 2-for-4 | 2 RBIs | 2 R | 1 BB
Griffin Teisher – 2-for-5 | 2 RBI | 1 R
Emilio Luna – 1-for-3 | 2 RBI | 1 3B | 1 SF | 1 R
Graham Cumming – 2.1 IP | 3 K | 1 H | 0 R
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Coyotes got the scoring started in the top of the second inning. With two on and two outs, Garrett Macias put a two-run single through the left side before Brandon Galindo’s RBI single followed the same path to give CSUSB a 3-0 lead.
CSUSM evened it up at 3-all in the bottom of the third inning. After a leadoff double by Demetrius Freeman, Luna brought him home on an RBI triple to center. Luna then scored on an RBI groundout to short for the first out. After getting on base with a ground-rule double to center, Luke Reece scored the final run of the inning on an RBI single up the middle by Rivera.
A two-out, three-run homer to left by CSUSB’s Deshawn Johnson put the Coyotes ahead once again at 6-3.
The Cougars cut the deficit to 6-5 in the bottom of the fourth. A dropped fly ball in left by CSUSB allowed Mark Stanford to score from second after his double. A sac fly to center by Luna then allowed Berohn to score.
CSUSM took a 7-6 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning on an RBI single to right by Rivera that scored Reece and a bases-loaded walk by Berohn that plated Rivera.
The Cougars increased their lead to 11-6 in the bottom of the sixth inning with a two-run single through the right side by Teisher and a two-run triple by Berohn.
The Coyotes cut their deficit to 11-9 in the top of the seventh on a three-run blast to left center by Giovanni Del Negro.
The Cougars allowed no runs in the final two innings thanks to strong relief efforts by Graham Cumming and Pat MacDonald Jr. Cumming struck out three and allowed just one hit in 2.1 innings while MacDonald got the final two outs on six pitches.
QUICK HITS
Cougar reliever Trevor Schott (1-0) picked up the win as he struck out three and allowed three runs on three hits, a walk and a hit-by-pitch in 2.0 innings.
Coyote starter John Pfeffer (1-3) took the loss after allowing seven runs (five earned) on six hits and three walks while striking out five.
Rivera increased his hitting streak to seven games while Kevin Van Linge upped his reached-base streak to 12 games.
This was Rivera’s team-leading 10th game with multiple hits and team-leading eighth game with multiple RBIs.
This was CSUSM’s first meeting with CSUSB since 2019.
The Cougars have now won four of the last five games against the Coyotes.
UP NEXT
CSUSM and CSUSB will continue the series on Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at noon.
