Box Score

LOS ANGELES – Cal State L.A.'s baseball team put the finishing touches on a four-game California Collegiate Athletic Association sweep on Sunday and will now take their first trip of the season.

 

The Golden Eagles scored five times in the fourth inning and led the rest of the way in an 8-4 win over Cal State East Bay Sunday at Reeder Field. Cal State L.A. (15-5, 10-2 CCAA) ran its winning streak to six games.

 

The Golden Eagles played the first 20 games of the season at home and will now play their next six contests away from Reeder Field, beginning with a four-game series next week at Sonoma State.

 

Manny Acosta went 3-for-4 with four RBI to lead an 11-hit attack for Cal State L.A. Brian Moon was 2-for-4 with three RBI. Acosta and Joe Park scored two runs each.

 

Nathan Pickett went five strong innings for the Golden Eagles to pick up the win. He gave up six hits and two earned runs while walking two and striking out three. Anthony Lopez blanked the Pioneers on just one hit over three innings while walking one and striking out four.

 

After Cal State East Bay (4-15, 2-10 CCAA) threatened in the ninth inning, Jacob Valenzuela came on to record the final two outs and picked up his first save of the season.

 

Dylan Johnson had a pair of hits and scored a run for the Pioneers. Zachary Wong pitched 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief to give Cal State East Bay an opportunity to rally.

 

Pickett and Cal State East Bay starter Zach Aguirre matched zeros until the bottom of the third inning when the Golden Eagles got a run-scoring single by Moon to take a 1-0 lead.

 

The Pioneers tied it with a run in the fourth on a single by Andrew Woolfe and a double by Josh Rush. Cal State L.A., though, took the lead for good with a five-run rally in the bottom of the inning. Chad Nacapoy broke the 1-1 tie with a run-scoring double and Acosta hit a three-run home run later in the inning.

 

The Pioneers got two runs back in the fifth to make it 6-3. Woolfe drove in one run with a sacrifice fly and Charlie Sharrer singled in the other run.

 

The Golden Eagles stretched their lead to 8-3 in the sixth. Jordan Castro walked and scored on a triple by Acosta. After Acosta was thrown out trying to advance on a pitch in the dirt, Park walked and scored on a double by Moon.

 

Nick McManus singled in a run in the ninth inning to make it 8-4, but Valenzuela came on with two on and one out and recorded the final two outs to end it.

 

Cal State L.A. will open a four-game series at Sonoma State beginning on Friday.