SAN DIEGO, Calif. – The CSUSB baseball team split their doubleheader with No. 4 Point Loma on Friday afternoon, dropping the first game 3-7 while winning the second game 4-3. With the win, the Yotes improve to 8-1 on the season while snapping an eight-game losing streak against the Sea Lions.
 

Game 1: CSUSB 3, PLNU 7

The Yotes scattered some hits in game one of the doubleheader, but struggled to string together the offense. Seven different Yotes collected one hit in the game while three separate players scored one run. PLNU scored all of their seven runs in the middle innings on two home runs, two hits, and a pair of sac flies. CSUSB responded with a Daryl Ruiz 2 RBI single and a Jeremy Giesegh home run to right field in the eighth and ninth, but it wasn't enough to complete a comeback.
 
Luke Hempel toed the rubber for the Yotes in game one, allowing two earned runs on five hits with six strikeouts in 4.0 innings. Nate Mendoza was light out from the pen, striking out two batters and only allowing one hit in his three innings of work.
 

Game 2: CSUSB 4, PLNU 3 (7 Innings)

CSUSB won the second game of the doubleheader off a strong performance from starting pitcher Dylan O'Connor and timely hitting from the offense. The Tacoma, WA native threw all 7.0 innings in the game, striking out 10 batters while only walking one. He currently leads the team in strikeouts on the season with 23. 
 
Just as they did in game one, seven different Yote batters collected one hit in the game. The difference, however, was the timing of those hits. Deshawn Johnson belted a home run to right field on the third pitch of the game, quickly giving CSUSB a 1-0 lead. Ruiz then hit a home run to right field to make it 2-0, his fourth of the season. PLNU responded with three of their own, taking a 3-2 lead in the fourth inning.
 
In the top of the sixth, the Yotes pieced together two runs on three hits to take a 4-3 lead. With the win in sight, O'Connor turned it into high gear on the mound; striking out five of the next seven batters he faced including striking out the side in the bottom of the seventh. With the win, the Yotes snap an eight-game losing streak against the Sea Lions.
 

Up Next
The Yotes will host Point Loma in a single game tomorrow, February 18^th, at Fiscalini Field. You can purchase tickets here or catch the action on the CCAA Network at ccaanetwork.com.

To see the full CSUSB baseball schedule, click HERE.
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