CARSON -- Cal State L.A.'s baseball team got its four-game California Collegiate Athletic Association series against Cal State Dominguez Hills off to a good start, but the rest of the series did not go as planned.
The Golden Eagles dropped the series finale, 8-6, at Toro Field on Saturday and lost the last three games of the series. Cal State L.A. (12-8, 7-5 CCAA) rallied from an early 4-0 deficit to tie the game at 5-5, but Cal State Dominguez Hills scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth to take the lead for good. Cal State Dominguez Hills (12-7, 7-5 CCAA) got a pair of home runs from Kamran Young, including the go-ahead home run in the sixth inning.
Cal State L.A. collected 14 hits in the game, including two each from Kyle Peralta, Ryan Welker, Nick Osuna and Paul Martinez. Cal State Dominguez Hills had 13 hits, including a 3-for-3 performance from Young. Daniel Matienzo was 2-for-3 with one run scored and two RBI.
Icezack Flemming got the start for the Golden Eagles and allowed 10 hits and seven runs in 5 2/3 innings. Jordan Cavazos allowed one run in one inning and Marcos Casillas allowed just one hit and no runs over the final 1 1/3 innings. Jeffrey Gogue allowed 10 hits and five runs over 5 2/3 innings for the Toros and Albert Flores got the final out of the sixth inning to earn the win. TyRay Gatewood got the final out in the ninth inning with the tying runs on base to earn his second save of the series.
After the Toros got four runs and four hits in the first inning, the Golden Eagles rallied for three runs in the third. Rodrigo Martinez doubled to start the inning and he took third on a single by Peralta. Welker reached on a fielder's choice to right to drive in Martinez while Peralta was retired at second. Jesus Cuevas kept the inning alive with a two-out single and Trevor Meleski drove in a pair of runs with a double to make it 4-3.
The Golden Eagles tied the game at 5-5 in the sixth. Nick Osuna singled and Paul Martinez reached on an error to start the rally. After David Trejo advanced the runners with a sacrifice, Rodrigo Martinez drove in Osuna with a sacrifice fly and Peralta drove in Paul Martinez with a single.
The Toros, though, regained the lead on Young's two-run home run in the bottom of the inning. Cal State Dominguez Hills added another run in the seventh to make it 8-5.
Cal State L.A. got one run in the ninth. Jake Jelmini's two-out single drove in Welker, but Gatewood then came on to get the final out with runners on first and second.
Cal State L.A. will return to action with a non-conference game against Azusa Pacific on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Reeder Field.
