Box Score LA JOLLA -- Cal State L.A.'s baseball team carried a lead into the seventh inning in the opener of an important four-game California Collegiate Athletic Association series with UC San Diego, but the Golden Eagles could not hang on.
The Golden Eagles surrendered four runs in the seventh inning and one more in the eighth and fell to the Tritons, 6-3, Thursday night at Triton Baseball Field. Cal State L.A. (14-16, 12-12 CCAA) saw its three-game winning streak snapped by UC San Diego (18-10, 14-7 CCAA). The Golden Eagles are currently in fifth place in the conference, the Tritons are fourth and four teams will qualify for the CCAA Championship Tournament.
Ryan Santhon pitched well for the Golden Eagles and carried a 3-1 lead into the seventh. He left after giving up a leadoff single to Jordan Rahn and a walk to Troy Cruz.
David Armas came on to pitch and, after a sacrifice bunt, Brett Levy delivered a sacrifice fly to make it 3-2. A passed ball moved Cruz to third and he scored the tying run on a ground-ball single by Tyler Howsley. After a wild pitch and walk,
Chris Oropesa came on and Erik Lewis and Nick La Face had run-scoring singles that gave the Tritons a 5-3 lead.
Cal State L.A. scored two runs in the first inning.
Casey Ryan singled with one out and
Kyle Peralta drew a walk.
Trent Zaks drove in both runners with a two-run double to give the Golden Eagles a quick 2-0 lead.
The Golden Eagles made it 3-0 in the fifth inning.
Drew Vanisi singled and moved to second on a groundout by
Niko Garcia. A bunt by
Rodrigo Martinez moved Vanisi to third and he scored on a passed ball to give the Golden Eagles a 3-0 lead.
Santhon didn't allow a run until the fifth when Levy got the Tritons on the board with a sacrifice fly. Santhon retired the Tritons in order in the sixth before running into early trouble in the seventh.
Justin Donatella went eight strong innings for UC San Diego and improved to 5-1. Scott Zeman worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his fourth save.
Cal State L.A. will continue the series with UC San Diego with a single game in La Jolla on Friday before the series concludes with a doubleheader at Reeder Field on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m.
