SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. - The California State University San Bernardino baseball team picked up its first win of the season, 25-9, against the Montana State University Billings Yellowjackets Sunday afternoon at Fiscalini Field.
With the win, CSUSB improves to 1-3 on the season.
The Yotes were able to load the bases in both the first and second innings but left them stranded both times. The game remained scoreless until the third inning, when the Yellowjackets scored two runs to take a 2-0 lead.
Senior Patrick Fregoso (Eastvale, Calif.) responded in the bottom of the frame with a two-run shot to tie the game 2-2.
CSUSB led off the bottom of the fourth with a solo home run by Keedan Nadeau (Highland, Calif.). For the third time in four innings, the Coyotes would load the bases, and this time they capitalized with a grand slam from Fregoso, giving them a 7-2 lead.
The Yotes tacked on two more runs in the fifth, one off an RBI double from Eddie Alfaro (Moreno Valley, Calif.), and one off a fielding error, scoring Alfaro.
Senior Dom Dominguez (Victorville, Calif.) smoked a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth, stretching the lead to 12-2.
MSU Billings began to mount a comeback with a five-run top of the seventh, which included a three-run homer, but CSUSB responded with another explosive inning.
Junior Alejandro McKay (San Diego, Calif.) led things off with a solo home run to center field. Later in the inning, sophomore Ramone Valenzuela (Hemet, Calif.) hit a grand slam, extending the Coyotes' lead to 19-7.
The Yellowjackets scored two more runs in the top of the eighth, cutting CSUSB's lead to 19-9.
Freshman Arthur Chavez (Colton, Calif.), in his first collegiate at-bat, hit an RBI single to left-center, making it 20-9. Tyson Pettingill (Overton, Nev.) hit a three-run blast, and Valenzuela hit a two-run homer, his second homer of the game, to cap the scoring.
In all, the Yotes hit eight home runs in the game, which is their most in a single game in program history.
On the mound, redshirt Junior Kailer Saunders (Boise, Idaho) allowed two unearned runs over five innings, struck out nine, and picked up the win.
Fregoso and Domingez paced the offense with three hits apiece, while Fregoso had seven RBIs. Valenzuela went 2-for-6 with six RBIs in the victory.
Up next, CSUSB travels to Westmont for a three-game series, beginning on Friday and concluding Saturday with a doubleheader. First pitch for Game 1 of the series is slated for 3 p.m. Friday.
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