IRVINE, Calif. -- Designated hitter Matt Lautz headed to the hill for the start in a solo game matchup against Cal State Dominguez Hills. Still batting in the number two spot, Lautz threw heat in the first two innings striking out four Toros, two per frame. CSUDH baseball is 2-7 overall with a 1-7 start in the CCAA and defeated Concorida in their last meeting. However, the Eagles redeemed themselves in Tuesday's game, winning 4-3 in an extra inning thriller.
After a quick top of the first, Jair Donovan launched a solo home run over the right centerfield fence to give Concordia the early 1-0 lead.
Then in the second, Bailey Collins started a couple of Eagles hits with a single through the right side. Tony Garcia III singled to second base advancing Collins to third. Nick Grimes sacrifice bunted to move Garcia over before Carl Turner got hit by the pitch to load the bases. Unfortunately, the Eagles left three on in the second inning and were unable to capitalize.
The fourth and fifth innings were productive for the Toros, who added one run to the board per inning to steal the lead 2-1. Dudoit fielded a hard-hit grounder and tossed to Grimes to get the lead runner out at third and shorten the inning. In the bottom of the fifth, Cooper Moore ripped a double to the warning track and scored Donovan to tie the game up at 2-2.
The Toros quickly responded and scored one run to take a 3-2 lead after two singles and two walks. However, the Eagles defense stayed on its toes to end the sixth inning thanks to a classic 6-4-3 double play from Dudoit to Hersh to Moore which held the damage to just a single run.
After a hit in the seventh produced by Donovan, Lautz scored and Concordia tied the game at 3-3.
CUI relievers Morgan Brannock and Carpenter Pagett were lights out in the late innings. The pair combined to pitch 4.2 innings of shutout baseball and did not allow a single batter to reach base. Brannock finished with three strikeouts as well, while Pagett struck out two.
The score remained tied until the bottom of the 10th.
Shane Hersh walked to get on base and was moved around by a sacrifice bunt from Garcia. Grimes entered the box, took a pitch out of the zone and cranked the next one down the left field line to score Hersh and end the game in the 10th inning with a 4-3 Eagles victory.
"All week we focused on taking a deep breath when we were in a situation that needed it and I felt like that was the biggest moment of the game," Grimes said. "So I just got my breath in, got in the box and looked for a pitch that I could hit."
Looking forward, Concordia Baseball will take on defending PacWest champions Azusa Pacific in a four-game non-conference series over the weekend. APU will host the first two games with the final two hosted at Eagles Field. Thursday's game is scheduled for 5 p.m. at APU.
