CARSON, Calif.---  Stan State lost 4-0 in the series opener of this weekend's four game CCAA series in Carson, Calif., to the hosts Cal State Dominguez Hills Toros.  The two teams will continue the four-game series tomorrow morning with an 11:00 a.m. starting doubleheader at Toro Diamond.

The series opener was a pitcher's duel between the Warriors' Austin Balentine and CSUDH's Darren Roberts for the first five and a half innings.  The Toros took a 2-0 lead with a two-run sixth inning capped by a one-out run scoring single by Teige Barrett. 

Cal State Dominguez Hills (8-6, 4-1 CCAA) increased its lead to 3-0 on a two-out run scoring single by Noah Karliner in the bottom of the seventh.  The Toros added an insurance run in their half of the eighth to take a 4-0 lead.  Julan Castro shut down the Warriors in order in the ninth to preserve the 4-0 Toro victory for the save.

WARRIOR HITTERS:  Three Warriors had one hit apiece in Robert Valdivia, Alex Solis, and Flavio Perez.  Solis and Valdivia each had a double.  Solis' double came with one out in the top of the sixth.  He went to third when Perez reached on an error, but were stranded their as the Toro starter Darren Roberts induced the next two batters to ground out to end the Warrior scoring threat. 

STAN STATE PITCHERS:  Austin Balentine (2-1) took the loss in the loss in the start.  He pitched six innings, giving up six hits and two runs while striking out two and walking one.  Cameron Rosen pitched the final two innings, giving up five hits and two runs while striking out one.

UP NEXT: Stan State (7-8, 2-3 CCAA) and Cal State Dominguez Hills will continue the four-game series tomorrow, March 1 with an 11am starting doubleheader.  The series will conclude with an 11:00 a.m. series finale this Sunday, March 2.  After Sunday, the Warriors will return home to host Cal State Los Angeles in a four-game series, March 7-9, beginning with a 6:00 p.m. series opener on Friday, March 7.