SAN MARCOS, Calif. – A nine-run fifth inning powered the Cal State San Marcos baseball team (17-15, 12-11 CCAA) to a 13-11 win over Cal State East Bay (15-20, 11-14 CCAA) in the series opener at CSUSM Baseball Field on Friday.
 
TOP PERFORMERS
Zavien Watson – 2-for-5 | 6 RBIs | 1 R | 1 HR | 1 SB
Garrett Teunissen – 1-for-4 | 3 RBIs | 2 R | 1 HBP
Cameron Mahaffy – 1-for-3 | 2 R | 1 RBI | 1 BB
Phoenix Sommay – 1-for-2 | 3 R | 2 HBP | 1 SAC
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Pioneers took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second with an infield RBI single by Nick Thomson.
• East Bay went up 3-0 on an RBI fielder's choice by Luke Brown and an RBI single from Jaylen Hodges in the top of the third.
• CSUSM took its first lead at 4-3 in the bottom of the third with a pair of two-run singles from Garrett Teunissen and Zavien Watson.
• An RBI single from Dominick Najar and a two-run single from Camron Grant put the Pioneers back on top at 6-4 in the top of the fourth.
• Quinn Ayres gave CSUEB a 7-4 lead with an RBI single in the top of the fifth.
• The momentum completely swung in the opposite direction in the bottom of the fifth as CSUSM tallied a nine-run inning on just four hits and an East Bay error. Watson had the Cougars' biggest hit of the inning with a three-run homer to left before an RBI single from Cameron Mahaffy. CSUSM then scored on a wild pitch, a balk, two bases-loaded hit-by-pitches before Watson came up again with an RBI groundout to make it 13-7.
• The Pioneers spent the rest of the contest chipping away at the Cougars' big lead with an RBI single from Aidan Morton in the sixth, a pair of RBI singles by Grant and Brown in the seventh and an RBI double from Brown in the ninth, but CSUSM's lead proved too much.

 
QUICK HITS

• CSUSM starter Spencer Anderson (4-1) earned the win after striking out four while allowing seven earned runs on 14 hits and a hit-by-pitch in 5.0 innings.
• CSUEB starter Jackson Ellis (1-5) took the loss after allowing nine runs (eight earned) on six hits, two walks and two hit-by-pitches in 4.1 innings.
• Cougar reliever Nolan Long earned his sixth save of the season after striking out two and allowing an unearned run on one hit.
• CSUSM earned the victory despite being outhit 20-8.
• The Cougars were hit by a pitch six times, tying their season high against Saint Martin's on Feb. 1.
• Mateo Lake improved his reached-base streak to 10 games with a walk – the longest-active streak on the team.

 
UP NEXT
CSUSM and CSUEB will continue the series with a doubleheader on Saturday at noon. Prior to the doubleheader, a naming ceremony will take place as CSUSM Baseball Field officially becomes Dennis A. Pugh Field at 11:30 a.m.