POMONA -- Cal State L.A.'s baseball team saved its best for last Friday in a California Collegiate Athletic Association game at Cal Poly Pomona.
The Golden Eagles scored 10 times in the ninth inning to break a 4-4 tie and went on to a 14-4 win over the Broncos Friday at Scolinos Field. Cal State L.A. (24-20, 18-11 CCAA) won its fourth straight game and edged closer to third-place Cal State Stanislaus and fourth-place Chico State in the CCAA standings. The top four teams will qualify for the CCAA Championship Tournament. Cal Poly Pomona (14-27, 11-17) lost its second straight after having its five-game winning streak snapped on Thursday.
The Golden Eagles got an outstanding relief performance from Theon Bourdaniotis, who allowed only one hit over five shutout innings to pick up the win. He didn't walk a batter and struck out four in his best outing of the season. Dustin Birosak went the first four innings and allowed eight hits and four runs, all in the fourth inning.
Nico Moreno had three hits, including a three-run home run that completed the 10-run ninth inning. Henry Contreras had two hits, two RBI and scored three runs, Devon Ramirez had three hits and scored a pair of runs and Christian Ramirez had two hits and drove in a pair of runs.
After Cal State L.A. took an early 2-0 lead, Cal Poly Pomona scored four times in the fourth to take the lead. The inning was highlighted by a two-run home run by A.J. Cavaletto.
The Golden Eagles tied it in the sixth. Christian Ramirez tripled and scored on a groundout. Devon Ramirez had a run-scoring single later in the inning to score Contreras.
Cal Poly Pomona starter Ryan Screnar pitched well, going eight strong innings. After he left, though, the Golden Eagles put up 10 runs against three relievers in the ninth. Moreno's three-run home run was the big blow.
The two teams will conclude the four-game CCAA series with a doubleheader at Reeder Field beginning at 11 a.m. Birosak, Bourdaniotis, Contreras, Darrick Hale, Manny Urresti and Tyler Warmerdam will be honored as part of "Senior Day."
