Box Score

ST. GEORGE, UTAH – Cal State L.A.'s baseball team had its four-game series at Dixie State get off to a disappointing start.
 
The Golden Eagles allowed two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning and fell to the Red Storm, 8-7, at Bruce Hurst Field. Cal State L.A. (25-20) dropped its second consecutive games. The Golden Eagles are ranked fifth in the most recent NCAA Division II West Region rankings, while the Red Storm are sixth.
 
James Wharton was 3-for-5 with three doubles, Jeremy Weber was 2-for-6 with a home run and Joe Park was 3-for-4. Daniel Duran was 1-for-2 with a double and walked three times.
 
Weber and Cliff Quick scored two runs each.
 
Cedar Morgan started for the Golden Eagles and allowed 10 hits and six runs in 4 1/3 innings. Nick Rodarte blanked the Red Storm over the next 1 2/3 innings and David Arredondo allowed two runs over two innings and took the loss.

Dixie State pushed across the winning runs after getting a leadoff walk, two bunt singles, a hit batter to force in a run and a throwing error with the bases loaded to end it.
 
Cal State L.A. scored three times in the third inning to take a 4-1 lead. Weber hit a leadoff home run to give the Golden Eagles the lead. Duran walked, moved to third on a double by Wharton and scored on a wild pitch. Wharton scored on a squeeze bunt from Quick.
 
The Golden Eagles made it 5-1 in the fourth when Park doubled and scored on a single by Weber.
 
Dixie State scored five runs in the fifth to take a 6-5 lead, but the Golden Eagles scored single runs in the seventh and eighth innings to regain the lead. Quick's sacrifice fly scored Wharton in the seventh inning to tie it and Wharton's double scored Chad Nacapoy to give Cal State L.A. a 7-6 edge that disappeared in the bottom of the ninth.
 
Cal State L.A. will continue its series with a doubleheader at Dixie State on Saturday.