SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. - The California State University San Bernardino baseball team extended its winning streak to nine game by defeating the University of La Verne 18-6 in seven innings Tuesday evening in a non-conference matchup at Fiscalini Field.
With the win, the Coyotes improve to 14-12 overall on the season.
La Verne jumped out front early by scoring four runs in the top of the first inning, but their lead would not last long. CSUSB began chiseling away at the lead immediately, scoring three times in the bottom of the first. Junior
Juni Rodriguez (Hemet, Calif.) got the Coyotes on the board with a two-run single, before scoring on an RBI double from senior
Garret Barto (Pittsburgh, Pa.).
The Coyotes took the lead in the bottom of the second on a two-run big fly from freshman
Tyson Pettingill (Overton, Nev.), giving the Coyotes their first lead of the game at 5-4.
The hosts broke the contest open in the bottom of the third inning, when they scored 11 runs. Sophomore
Ramone Valenzuela (Hemet, Calif.) opened the frame with a two-run homer to put CSUSB up 7-4, before a run-scoring double from senior
Benji Solano (Chula Vista, Calif.) extended the CSUSB lead to four.
Pettingill's second two-run home run of the day made it 10-4, and three Coyotes scored on bases-loaded walks. Valenzuela and Solano each notched two-run hits to round out the inning and put the Yotes up 16-4.
La Verne got two back in the top of the fourth, but the Coyotes got them back in the bottom of the sixth on back-to-back long balls from senior
Greg Luna (Moreno Valley, Calif.) and Barto, giving the game its final score of 18-6.
Coyote junior
Chad Horton (Menifee, Calif.) got the win on the hill, throwing 2.1 shutout innings in relief and allowing just one hit and one walk for his first NCAA victory.
Solano, Pettingill, Rodriguez, and Barto all had three hits to pace the Coyotes, with two homers from Barto and Pettingill. Valenzuela and Pettingill each had a game-high four RBIs.
Next up, the Coyotes will bring their winning streak to Division I Utah Valley University to start a three-game series starting on Friday.
Â
#GoYotes
