Box Score

CARSON – Cal State L.A.'s baseball team came out on the wrong end of a nail-biter Friday at Toro Field.

 

The Golden Eagles surrendered the game-winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning and lost to Cal State Dominguez Hills, 5-4, Friday in a non-conference game between California Collegiate Athletic Association foes. Cal State L.A. (2-2) managed only one run over the final six innings of play.

 

Sam Wiley got the Golden Eagles off to a good start when he slugged his second two-run home run in two days, this one in the first inning. Cliff Quick drove in runs in the third and fifth inning to enable the Golden Eagles to forge a 4-4 tie after five innings.

 

That's how the score remained until the Toros pushed across a run in the ninth to win it. Rory Young, the third Cal State L.A. pitcher, hit Brian Sturgis with a pitch with one out and pinch runner Kevin Logan promptly stole second. He then brought home the winning run when Dean Benavidez singled down the left-field line to end it.

 

It was a day of missed opportunities for the Golden Eagles, who stranded 13 baserunners. Cal State L.A. had only six hits, but the Golden Eagles also drew six walks and were hit by pitches four times.

 

Mario Ramirez singled, was hit twice by pitches and also drew a walk to reach base four of the five times he was up. He scored two runs. Joe Park scored the other run for the Golden Eagles.

 

Anthony Lopez worked 5 1/3 innings and gave up five hits and four runs. Cal State Dominguez Hills outfielder John Skala drove in all four runs against Lopez, two on a home run in the second and the other two on a two-run single in the fourth.

 

Camron Collard blanked the Toros over the next 1 2/3 innings and Young worked a scoreless eighth inning before allowing the run in the ninth.

 

The Golden Eagles scored twice in the first after two were out. Ramirez walked and Wiley followed with a two-run home run to right-center. The Toros tied the game in the bottom of the second when Skala homered down the right-field line with Steve Carrillo aboard and two out.

 

Cal State L.A. regained the lead in the third when Quick delivered a sacrifice fly to right field to score Ramirez.

 

The Toros made it 4-3 on the two-run single by Skala in the fourth, but the Golden Eagles tied it in the fifth when Quick drew a bases-loaded walk to force in Park. Cal State L.A. still had the bases loaded with only one out, but couldn't score another run.

 

The Golden Eagles stranded 10 runners over the final five innings. Matt Phillips blanked the Golden Eagles on one hit over the final 4 2/3 innings. He walked four and struck out seven.

 

Cal State L.A. will conclude the four-game series by hosting the Toros on Saturday in a doubleheader at Reeder Field beginning at 11 a.m.