Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 LOS ANGELES – Cal State L.A.'s baseball team relied on some late-game dramatics to win the opener and then got a strong starting outing in the nightcap to sweep a California Collegiate Athletic Association doubleheader from San Francisco State on Saturday.
 
Ryan Cooperstone was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the 10^th inning to force in the winning run in a 6-5 victory in the opener and freshman Brandon Quintero was strong in a 9-2 win in the nightcap at Reeder Field. Cal State L.A. (5-5, 3-0 CCAA) has won the first three games of the four-game conference series against San Francisco State (3-7, 0-3 CCAA).
 
The opener featured an outstanding pitching battle between San Francisco State's Ryan De Jesus and Cal State L.A.'s Omar Jimenez. The pitchers were locked in a 0-0 tie through seven innings. Jimenez allowed only five hits and didn't walk a batter during his seven-inning stint while striking out two. De Jesus went 7 1/3 innings and allowed three hits and one run.
 
The scoring finally started in the eighth inning when the Gators took a 2-0 lead on a run-scoring single by Miguel Flores and a double-play groundout by Mark Lindsay that drove in Carter Loud.
 
Cal State L.A. tied it with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning. Manny Acosta started the inning with a single and moved to third on a double by Scott Masik. Jeremy Weber then singled up the middle to drive in both runners and tie the game.
 
The Gators then took a 5-2 lead in the top of the ninth. Dillon Meyer singled in a run to break the tie and Grady Espinosa followed with a single to make it 4-2. Loud added another run-scoring single to give the Gators the three-run lead.
 
Cal State L.A., though, came right back with three runs in the bottom of the inning. Tyler Christian and Cooperstone were both hit by pitches and both scored on a double off the centerfield fence by Acosta, who took third on an outfield error. David Trejo then tied the game with a sacrifice fly.
 
After James Wharton retired the Gators in order in the 10^th, the Golden Eagles scored to win the game. Casey Ryan singled to start the game-winning rally and moved to second on a wild pitch. Ryan took third when Wharton flied out to deep center for the first out and the Gators then walked Casey Doyle and Christian intentionally to load the bases. San Francisco State even brought an outfielder in to provide an extra fielder in the infield, but Cooperstone was hit in the helmet with the first pitch to drive in the winning run.
 
Acosta was 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI, while Ryan was 2-5 with a run scored. Wharton picked up the victory in relief for the Golden Eagles.
 
Cal State L.A. then jumped out to a 6-0 lead after two innings of the seven-inning nightcap and earned the sweep. Doyle singled in Ryan for the first run of the game in the first inning and the Golden Eagles bunched together five hits in the second to take a 6-0 lead.
 
Acosta doubled and scored on a double by Niko Garcia. Wharton had a two-run single later in the inning and Cooperstone had a run-scoring single as well.
 
Quintero worked five innings and gave up seven hits and two runs. He walked two and struck out three. Shawn Meusborn pitched two scoreless innings of relief to complete the win.
 
Cooperstone was 3-for-4 with two RBI, Wharton was 2-for-3 with two RBI, Ryan was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and Scott Masik scored a pair of runs.
 
Cal State L.A. will return to action on Sunday with the finale of the four-game series against San Francisco State beginning at 11 a.m. at Reeder Field.