Box Score
SAN BERNARDINO -- Cal State L.A.'s baseball team let an important California Collegiate Athletic Association contest get away from it Thursday in the opener of a four-game series against Cal State San Bernardino.
The Golden Eagles gave up three unearned runs in the bottom of the eighth inning and lost to Cal State San Bernardino, 5-4, Thursday at Arrowhead Credit Union Park. Cal State L.A. (15-9, 8-5 CCAA) slipped out of a second-place tie in the conference, while Cal State San Bernardino (13-9, 9-4) pulled to within one-half game of first-place Cal State Stanislaus.
The Golden Eagles squandered an excellent start from Isaac Morales, who allowed only three hits over 7 1/3 innings. He gave up single runs in the third and fifth innings and left with a 4-2 lead after issuing a one-out walk in the eighth inning. The Coyotes picked up two singles off reliever Camron Collard to load the bases and then took advantage of an error to score twice and tie the game. The go-ahead run later scored on a fielder's choice.
Even after falling behind, 5-4, the Golden Eagles had a golden opportunity to tie the game in the ninth. Eric Quintero doubled to left to open the inning and pinch runner Eric Rodriguez made it to third on a sacrifice bunt by Chris Matzner. Rodriguez stayed at third after Chris Lloyd grounded out to second and, after Michael Vinyard was hit by a pitch, Brendan McQuaid struck out to end the game.
Cal State L.A. had 10 hits in the game to only five for Cal State San Bernardino. Three Coyote pitchers, though, didn't walk a batter, while Morales walked five for the Golden Eagles.
Matt Miraldi had three hits and drove in a pair of runs for the Golden Eagles, while Toby Davis had two hits and scored two runs. Quintero had a pair of doubles.
Cal State L.A. took a 3-0 lead after its first three at bats. Davis doubled in the first inning, took third on a grounder by McQuaid and scored on a groundout by Mario Ramirez. The Golden Eagles added a pair of runs in the third when Davis singled, took second on a McQuaid groundout, advanced to third on a Ramirez groundout and scored on Miraldi's double. Miraldi then scored when Max Moya reached on an error by the Coyote right-fielder.
Cal State San Bernardino got one run back in the bottom of the third inning when Chris Olsen singled and later scored on a two-out error at third by Davis. The Coyotes then made it 3-2 on a solo home run by Olsen in the fifth.
Cal State L.A., though, extended its lead to 4-2 in the eighth when McQuaid, Ramirez and Miraldi strung together one-out singles to produce a run.
The Golden Eagles will return to action with a single game at Cal State San Bernardino on Friday. The series will conclude on Saturday with a doubleheader at Reeder Field beginning at 11 a.m.
