SAN MARCOS, Calif. – Powered by a six-run first inning, the Cal State San Marcos baseball team (23-20, 18-16 CCAA) closed out its home schedule with a 12-5 victory over Chico State (27-18, 20-16 CCAA) to earn the series split on Sunday at Dennis A. Pugh Baseball Field.
 
Prior to the game, CSUSM honored its 18 seniors - Spencer Anderson, Trevor Eby, Conner Gleissner, Preston Kelly, Mateo Lake, Nolan Long, Cameron Mahaffy, Masen McDonnell, Sammy Murphy, Marco Pirruccello, Fisher Pyatt, Ethan Rivera, Evan Scalley, Trevor Schott, Phoenix Sommay, Garrett Teunissen, Zavien Watson and Tyler Weaver.
 
TOP PERFORMERS
Marco Pirruccello – 1-for-2 | 4 RBIs | 2 R | 1 HR | 1 SF | 2 BB | 1 SB
Fisher Pyatt – 2-for-5 | 2 RBIs | 2 R | 1 HR | 1 SB
Ethan Rivera – 2-for-4 | 2 RBIs
Garrett Teunissen – 3-for-5 | 2 R | 1 RBI | 1 2B | 1 SB
Phoenix Sommay – 2-for-3 | 1 R | 1 2B | 1 SAC
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• CSUSM sprinted out of the gate with a six-run first inning. Garrett Teunissen brought the game's first run across with an RBI single up the middle before Dylan Unangst followed with an RBI single of his own. The Cougars then hit back-to-back homers as Marco Pirruccello belted a three-run homer to right before Fisher Pyatt also homered to right to give CSUSM a 6-0 lead.
• Chico cut CSUSM's lead to 6-2 in the top of the fourth with a two-run homer to right from Troy Kent.
• A bases-loaded walk by Phoenix Casias narrowed the Wildcats' deficit to 6-3 in the top of the fifth.
• The Cougars went back up by four in the bottom of the fifth. After a leadoff double by Teunissen, Zavien Watson brought him home with an RBI single to right to make it a 7-3 game.
• CSUSM took a 10-3 lead in the bottom of the seventh with an RBI single from Pyatt before Ethan Rivera hit a two-run single to right.
• A bases-loaded walk by Evan Scalley and a sacrifice fly to right by Marco Pirruccello put CSUSM on top 12-3 in the bottom of the eighth.
• Chico scored the game's final two runs in the top of the ninth with a pair of two-out RBI singles from Thade Miller and Phoenix Casias to make it 12-5.

 
QUICK HITS

• CSUSM reliever Jack Clark (1-0) earned the win after throwing two strikeouts while allowing just one walk in 2.1 innings. Clark has yet to allow an earned run in 17.2 innings and 14 appearances in his freshman season.
• Chico starter Marco Ibarra (5-2) took the loss after giving up seven earned runs on 10 hits and two walks while striking out three in 5.0 innings.
• This was the second consecutive year in which the Cougars and Wildcats split the season series.
• Phoenix Sommay and Teunissen each tallied their team-leading 12th multi-hit game.
• Pirruccello extended his hitting streak to seven games – two games shy of the Cougars' longest hitting streak of the season.
• Pyatt tallied his seventh multi-RBI game of the year, tying for the team lead.
• Dylan Unangst improved his reached-base streak to 10 games with a single and two walks.

 
UP NEXT
CSUSM will wrap up the regular season on the road as it battles Cal State San Bernardino for the final spot in the CCAA Tournament beginning on Thursday in San Bernardino. The Cougars currently hold the sixth and final spot (.529) over the seventh-place Coyotes (.528).