After dropping a heartbreaker in 10 innings on Friday, the Eagles continued their weekend series against the Cal State San Marcos Cougars on Saturday with a doubleheader.

Game one:  In the first game of the day, the Eagles fell behind early, trailing 1-0 heading into the bottom of the 4th inning.  The bats came alive, however.  Cooper Moore got the Eagles on the board with an opposite field blast over the right field wall to tie the score.  One inning later, the Eagles took the lead and never looked back.  Alex DiMascio led off the inning with a single to right, and two batters later, Chris Martin II moved him up on a sacrifice bunt.  With two outs, Haloa Dudoit brought home DiMascio with a single up the middle.  At the end of five, CUI led 2-1.

In the sixth, the Eagles scored again.  Jair Donovan led off the inning with a double to right field, Moore walked, both runners moved up on a sacrifice bunt Matt Lautz, and Shane Hersh brought home Donovan on a sac fly.  It was the third consecutive inning the Eagles scored a run.

After taking a 3-1 lead into the bottom of the 8th, the Eagles added insurance runs.  Moore, Lautz, Hersh, and Tony Garcia each collected hits.  At the end of the inning, the Eagles led 6-1, scoring three in the 8th.

Though the Cougars added two in the top of the 9th, the Eagles held on to win game one 6-3.  Brett Vansant collected the win for the Eagles, pitching six innings and giving up just one run. 

Matt Lautz did a little of everything on the day, collecting two hits, scoring a run, and driving in one.

"At the plate, I was just trying to get a pitch to hit," said Lautz.  "I was just trying to let the game come to me, get the pitches I want to hit, and just put good swings on the ball, not try to do too much."

Game two: After winning the second game of the day, the Eagles had their first winning streak of the year.  Junior Alex Zalasky pitched a gem for the Eagles, but it didn't start off pretty.  In the first inning, Nashea Diggs led off the game with a walk for the Cougars and then quickly stole second base.  Griffin Teisher then singled up the middle, bringing home Diggs before Zalasky could collect an out.  The Eagles caught a break, however.  When rounded third, Diggs missed the bag.  Zalasky appealed over to third, Nick Grimes stepped on third, and Diggs was called out.  The run didn't count.  Zalasky then worked his way out of the first inning without giving up any runs.

"Every time I've ever done that, they've always been called safe," said Zalasky.  "It kind of helped me get some momentum going."

Zalasky got himself in and out of another jam in the second before settling down.  In the third inning, the CUI offense gave him a lead to work with.  After a one out single by Collin Villegas, Grimes reached on an error, and two batters later, Bailey Collins singled in Villegas to give the Eagles a lead.  The two out rally continued with a single by Jair Donovan and a double by Moore.  At the end of three, the Eagles led 4-0.

Zalasky cruised the rest of the way, giving up just one run over seven innings and collecting his first win of the season.  The Eagles offense wasn't done yet, however.  In the bottom of the 5th, they added three more runs.  Five straight Eagles reached base to start the inning.  Dudoit singled up the middle, Collins doubled deep to right, Donovan shot a single to right field, and Moore and Lautz walked consecutively.  The Eagles added a run on a double play, and took firm control of the game, now leading 7-1.

Zalasky closed it out and the Eagles finished the day with a doubleheader sweep over the previously undefeated Cougars.

"I just focused on every pitch," Zalasky said.  "I just trusted my mechanics and executed pitches." 

Collins and Donovan each collected two hits for the Eagles in the second game, and Moore added two RBI. Donovan finished with a team-high 3 RBI.

The Eagles return to action on Tuesday, Feb.12, as they host the Cal State Dominguez Hills Toros at Eagles Field at 2 p.m.

For the full CUI baseball schedule, click here.