Box Score

CHICO -- Cal State L.A.'s baseball team had just enough left in the tank to hold on to an important California Collegiate Athletic Association victory.

The Golden Eagles cruised into the ninth inning with a 6-1 lead, but suddenly found themselves in a nail-biter before putting away Chico State, 6-5, Friday night at Nettleton Stadium. Cal State L.A. (13-7, 6-3 CCAA) got an outstanding start from Isaac Morales, who was dominant for eight innings. The Golden Eagles didn't secure the win, though, until reliever Camron Collard got the final out with two runners on base.

Morales (3-2) was outstanding through the first eight innings. He allowed only an unearned run in the seventh inning and allowed only three hits entering the ninth. After striking out the first batter he faced in the ninth, Morales walked a batter and surrendered a single and left the game. Collard came on, got the first batter he faced on a strikeout, but then ran into major trouble. Eric Stephens hit a pinch-hit, three-run home run to suddenly make it 6-4. Jordan Larson doubled and scored on a single by Robert Mills to make it 6-5. When Josh Meagher followed with a double, the Wildcats had runners on second and third.

Collard, though, regrouped and got Bret Ringer on a fly out to left to finally end it.

Morales allowed only four hits and two earned runs in his 8 1/3 stint, which was his longest outing of the season. He walked four and struck out eight. The win was the 22nd in Morales' Cal State L.A. career and now ties him for the program record.

Chris Matzner had two hits and scored twice for the Golden Eagles, while Chris Lloyd drove in a pair of runs.

Cal State L.A. had an eight-hit attack and built a 6-0 lead after six innings. The Golden Eagles took a 1-0 lead in the third inning when Brendan McQuaid delivered a two-out single to drive in Matzner, who had singled and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Lloyd.

The Golden Eagles then extended their lead with five runs in the sixth inning. Max Moya drew a bases-loaded walk to force in Mario Ramirez to make it 2-0. Matzner picked up an infield single to score another run and a two-run single by Lloyd made it 5-0. Matt Miraldi's run-scoring single drove in the final run of the inning.

Chico State (10-7, 6-3 CCAA) finally got on the board in the seventh thanks to an error and a run-scoring double by Jimmy Dodos, but Morales avoided further trouble in that inning and then breezed through the eighth inning before the eventful ninth inning.

The Golden Eagles, who have struggled on the road this season, played just well enough Friday to boost their record away from Reeder Field to 3-6.

Cal State L.A. will continue the series at Chico State with a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at noon.