ROHNERT PARK, Calif-  The late season struggles of the Sonoma State baseball team continued on Friday as the fifth-ranked Seawolves dropped the opener of a four-game series to Cal State Dominguez Hills, 4-2.  The Seawolves were held to just two hits in the game as they lose for the fifth time in a row, falling to 39-12, 23-8 CCAA.  The Toros improve to 21-31, 16-17 CCAA.

With the Seawolves' loss and a win by UC San Diego on Friday, the teams are now just percentage points apart in the race for the No. 1 seed in next week's CCAA Tournament.  The Seawolves are at 23-8 (.742), just ahead of the Tritons' 24-9 (.727).

The Seawolves managed just one hit over eight innings against Toro starter Jeff Phillips.  SSU was able, however, to manufacture two runs by way of walks, errors, and a pair of sacrifice flies. 

Leading 2-0 and riding the strong left arm of ace Matt Means, it looked like a pair of runs might be enough for a win. However, the Toros got to Means (L, 7-1) in the seventh for two singles, a walk, and a double to take a 3-2 lead.  Two of the three runs came with two outs and the other came on a squeeze play.

CSUDH would tack on one more run in the ninth when Eduardo Gomez drove in a run with a single.

Mark Pestorich had both of SSU's hits in the game.  Ian Bridges reached base three times via walk and had a sac fly. 

The teams combined for seven errors in the game, four by CSUDH and three by SSU.

Sonoma State will try for win No. 40 again on Saturday as the teams play a doubleheader starting at 11:00 am.

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