LOS ANGELES – Cal State L.A.'s baseball team saw its three-game series with No. 20 California Baptist start on a promising note on Thursday, but end with a thud on Saturday.
 
The Golden Eagles, who beat California Baptist in the season opener on Thursday, 8-2, dropped the final two games, including a 16-1 defeat at Reeder Field on Saturday. Cal State L.A. (1-2) gave up 23 hits and played some shaky defense behind its six pitchers.
 
The only run of the game for the Golden Eagles came on a solo home run by Josh Guerra in the eighth inning.
 
Icezack Flemming started for the Golden Eagles and allowed six hits and three runs in four innings. The game got out of hand in the fifth inning when California Baptist scored 11 times and hit a pair of home runs. Andrew Montoya hit a solo home run and Brian Ruhm belted a grand slam to highlight the inning.
 
California Baptist (2-1) also got a home run from Taylor Wetzel.
 
David Herd tossed five shutout innings for the Lancers to pick up the win.
 
Montoya had a big day at the plate, going 5-for-6 with two runs scored and three RBI. Ruhm was 4-for-5 with five RBI and Luke Navigato was 3-for-6 with three runs scored.
 
Reed Reznicek pitched a scoreless inning of relief for Cal State L.A., while Marcos Casillas and Chris Oropesa each allowed one run in their inning of work.

The Golden Eagles picked up five hits. Rodrigo Martinez, Anthony Moreno, Nick Osuna and Trent Zaks all had singles, while Guerra hit his first home run in his first at bat of the season.
 
Cal State L.A. will return to action on Friday with a game against the University of British Columbia at Reeder Field at 2 p.m.