LOS ANGELES – Cal State L.A.'s baseball team got its 2015 season off to a solid start with a big NCAA Division II West Region victory.
 
The Golden Eagles got outstanding pitching from Brandon Quintero and Ralph Ramirez and used an 11-hit attack to beat No. 20 California Baptist, 8-2, Thursday night at Reeder Field. Cal State L.A. used a five-run sixth inning to erase a 2-1 deficit in the season opener for both teams.
 
Quintero tossed shutout baseball for five innings with nine strikeouts before allowing a solo home run to Brian Ruhm to tie the game with one out in the sixth. Ramirez came on in relief and allowed one run before getting out of the inning, but he threw three shutout innings after that to pick up the win.
 
Adam Hofacket allowed only a single run in the third inning before tiring a bit in the sixth when the Golden Eagles struck for five runs and six hits. Hofacket was charged with seven hits and five runs and took the loss.
 
Nick Osuna had a go-ahead two-run double for the Golden Eagles in the sixth and Paul Martinez added a two-run single to highlight the inning.
 
Quintero was electric in his first start of the season and allowed just five hits with one walk and nine strikeouts through the first five innings. Hofacket was also strong in his first five innings of work and allowed just three hits with seven strikeouts.
 
Jesus Cuevas was 3-for-3 with one RBI for the Golden Eagles, while Jake Jelmini was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and one RBI. Rodrigo Martinez and David Trejo both scored two runs for the Golden Eagles.
 
California Baptist stranded 12 runners, while Cal State L.A. stranded six.
 
The Golden Eagles scored a run in the third to take an early lead. Trejo was hit by a pitch, moved to single on a single by Cuevas, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a RBI groundout by Trent Zaks.
 
Quintero made the 1-0 lead stand up until the sixth when Ruhm hit a solo home run to tie it. The Lancers took a 2-1 lead on a wild pitch before Ramirez got a strikeout with runners on second and third to end the inning.
 
The Golden Eagles then took over in the bottom of the inning. Martinez singled with one out and took third on a single by Dakota Hernandez with Hernandez taking second on the throw. After a walk to Jelmini loaded the bases, Osuna ripped a double down the line to make it 3-2. Martinez singled up the middle to drive in two more runs and ending Hofacket's night. Cuevas drove in a run later in the inning to make it 6-2.
 
Cal State L.A. finished the scoring in the seventh inning. Martinez reached on an error and stole second with two outs. Jelmini singled him in to make it 7-2 and Jelmini later came around to score on another California Baptist error.
 
The Golden Eagles will face California Baptist in Riverside on Friday at 6 p.m. before concluding the three-game series at home on Saturday at 1 p.m.