Box Score RIVERSIDE – Cal State L.A.'s baseball team figured to be in good shape after exploding for eight runs in the eighth inning at California Baptist to erase a 7-2 deficit.
That, though, was before the Lancers responded with four runs in the bottom of the inning and held on for an 11-10 victory over the Golden Eagles at Totman Stadium in the season opener for both squads.
Cal State L.A. rode the strong starting pitching of
Jordan Sechler and took a 2-0 lead into the sixth inning. California Baptist tied it with two runs in the bottom of the sixth and grabbed a 7-2 lead with five runs in the seventh.
James Wharton started the big eighth-inning uprising for the Golden Eagles with a two-run home run that followed a walk to
Ryan Cooperstone.
Steven Luna cut the deficit to 7-6 with a two-run single and Nico Garcia tied it with a run-scoring single. A single by
Jeremy Weber put the Golden Eagles ahead, 8-7 and a sacrifice fly by
Ryan Cooperstone lead to two runs after an errant throw by the Lancers.
California Baptist got a leadoff home run from Antonio Chavarria in the bottom of the frame to make it 10-8 and got a two-out, go-ahead 3-run home run by Matt Marnati to take the lead for good.
Matt Daugherty worked an uneventful ninth inning and picked up the win despite allowing three runs in the eighth.
Shawn Meusborn took the loss in relief for the Golden Eagles.
California Baptist scored all 11 of its runs in its last three at bats. All five runs in the seventh came with two outs and three of the four runs in the eighth came with two out.
Sechler went 6 2/3 innings and allowed seven hits and four runs, three of them earned. He walked one and struck out four.
Luna drove in three runs for the Golden Eagles, while
Casey Ryan and
Tyler Christian scored two runs each. Ryan was 2-for-3 with two runs scored.
Cal State L.A. and California Baptist will continue a three-game series at Reeder Field on Saturday at 1 p.m. in the Golden Eagles' home opener. The series will conclude with a game on Monday at Reeder Field at 6 p.m.
