Senior third baseman Drew Valenzuela's two-run homer in the second inning proved enough for Cal State San Bernardino as the Coyotes defeated Cal State Dominguez Hills, 2-1, Friday in the 2008 season opener for both teams at Arrowhead Credit Union Park.
    The non-conference mini-series continues Saturday with a doubleheader at the Toros ballpark in Carson, starting at 11 a.m.
    In addition to Valenzuela's crucial blast, the Coyotes got strong pitching from three hurlers. Senior right-hander Matt Long went 7.2 innings, yielding all seven Toros hits and one earned run while striking out seven and walking just one batter. Junior Michael Leal came on the eighth with the tying run at second and struck out a batter to end the threat. Ward Minich retired the side in order in the ninth for the save.
      Matt Hopps, the Toros starter, made one bad pitch -- to Valenzuela -- and it cost him and his teammates. In the second inning, Kyle Walton led off the Coyotes half with a single through the right side and Valenzuela smoked a Hopps' offering well over the left field fence for a 2-0 advantage.
    Hopps went 5.1 innings, gave up just four hits, walked four and struck out six in a commendable early-season effort. Phillip Van Doren finished up with 2.2 innings of work, allowing just two hits and striking out four Coyotes without walking anybody.
     The Toros got their only run in the eighth when senior catcher Martin Conde (3-for-3 on the day) hit a two-strike double into the alley in right center and with two out came home on a single to center by junior shortstop Cody Puckett, ending Long's bid for a shutout.
    Leal came out of the bullpen, walked a batter to put Puckett on second, then struck out Jeff Cullen to end the inning.
    Dominguez Hills (0-1) stranded seven runners and the Coyotes (1-0) left eight on the bases. Puckett had seven assists from his shortstop position while the Coyotes second baseman Brent Planck had five assists.