Box Score Postgame Video

SAINT GEORGE, UTAH -- Cal State L.A.'s baseball team used a tremendous run through the California Collegiate Athletic Association Championship Tournament last week in Stockton to earn its first NCAA Division II playoff berth since 2007, but its opening game at Dixie State College did not go as planned.

The Golden Eagles' potent offense was held to just seven hits -- all singles -- and the defense committed three costly errors that led to seven unearned runs in an 11-2 loss to Sonoma State Thursday at Bruce Hurst Field. Cal State L.A. (35-21), the No. 5 seed, will face No. 1 seed Cal State Monterey Bay on Friday at 10 a.m. in an elimination game.

Cal State L.A. fell behind 6-0 after two innings thanks to a pair of two-out runs by Sonoma State in the first inning and four unearned runs -- all with two outs -- in the second inning. The Golden Eagles then had Sonoma State starter Harmen Sidhu in some trouble in the third and fourth innings, but had to settle for one run in each inning while stranding a total of five runners.

Cal State L.A. starter Jordan Sechler did an admirable job of keeping the Golden Eagles in the game, but Sonoma State picked up single runs in the sixth and seventh innings to stretch the lead to 8-2 and one error and a missed opportunity to turn a double play led to three more Seawolf runs in the eighth inning to complete the scoring.

Scott Masik went 2-for-5 with one run batted in and also had the best at bat of the game when he battled Sidhu through a 14-pitch at bat that ended with a lineout to right to lead off the game. Masik fell behind 1-2 and then fouled off two pitches before taking ball two. He then fouled off five more pitches before working the count full. Another foul was followed by the fly out.

Sidhu, who entered the game with an earned run average under 1.00 improved to 10-1 after throwing 128 pitches through eight innings, a high pitch count due in large part to at bats like Masik's.

Sonoma State got on the board with a two-out rally in the first. Devon Zenn drove in one run and Sam Montgomery had the other.

Sechler then got two quick outs in the second inning, but a hit batter and an infield fielding error kept the inning alive and Sonoma State took full advantage with a run-scoring single by Steven Filippi and a three-run double by Zenn.

The Golden Eagles then got consecutive singles from Casey Ryan, Masik and Jeremy Weber to load the bases with one out in the third, but Cal State L.A. managed only one run when Ryan scored on a wild pitch. The Golden Eagles then got one-out singles from Niko Garcia and Manny Acosta in the fourth, but again only got one run on a two-out run-scoring single by Masik.

Sidhu then settled down after the fourth inning and didn't allow another base runner until Ryan singled to lead off the seventh, stole second and took third on a passed ball. He was stranded there, though, and the Golden Eagles went quietly in the final two innings.

Cal State L.A. will now face Cal State Monterey Bay on Friday in a battle between the CCAA Tournament champion (Cal State L.A.) and CCAA regular-season champion (Cal State Monterey Bay). The winner stays live in the double-elimination tourney.