SAN BERNARDINO -- Cal State L.A.'s baseball team put an end to its seven-game losing streak with a big doubleheader sweep over Cal State San Bernardino on Friday.
The Golden Eagles got outstanding starts from
Icezack Flemming and
Brandon Quintero to beat the Coyotes, 2-1 and 6-2, at Fiscalini Field. Cal State L.A. (25-18, 20-15 CCAA) remains in fourth place in the California Collegiate Athletic Association with five conference games left.
Flemming improved to 8-2 on the season with a complete-game performance in the opener. He allowed eight hits and one unearned run while recording his second complete game of the season.
The Golden Eagles needed his strong pitching outing because they had difficulty scoring runs against Cal State San Bernardino starter Parks Smithey. The Golden Eagles collected nine hits, scored single runs in the third and fifth innings, and Flemming took it from there.
Trent Zaks was 2-for-3 with one run scored, while
Ryan Welker was 2-for-3 with both runs batted in.
Jesus Cuevas was 2-for-4 and
Nick Osuna was 1-for-4 with one run scored.
The Golden Eagles took a 1-0 lead in the third inning when Osuna doubled, took third on a sacrifice by
Lawrence Dominguez, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Welker. Cal State L.A. made it 2-0 in the fifth when Zaks hit a two-out double and scored on Welker's run-scoring single.
The Coyotes got their only run in the seventh when Jose Hernandez singled to drive in Trevor Williams. Flemming allowed leadoff singles in both the eighth and ninth innings, but was still able to preserve the lead for his team-leading eighth win of the season.
Cal State L.A. grabbed a 4-1 lead after three innings of the nightcap and Quintero made it stand up in his first start since March 27. He went five innings and gave up five hits and two runs. Both runs scored on wild pitches. He walked two and struck out seven and improved his record to 4-2.l
Marcos Casillas pitched two scoreless innings to complete the win. He didn't allow a hit and walked one over the final two innings of the game.
Osuna was 3-for-3 with one run and two RBI, while Cuevas was 2-for-2 with one run and one RBI. Dominguez was 2-for-3.
Four of Cal State L.A.'s six runs were driven in by sacrifice flies.
The Golden Eagles took a 1-0 lead in the first when a sacrifice fly by
Dakota Hernandez drove in Zaks. Cal State San Bernardino rebounded with a run in the bottom of the first and threatened for more, but Quintero got a double play and a strikeout to avoid further damage.
The Golden Eagles took a 2-1 lead in the second when
Kyle Peralta doubled and scored on a single by Osuna. The Golden Eagles then added two more runs in the fourth when Cuevas scored on an error and Osuna delivered a sacrifice fly.
Cal State L.A. then added two more runs in the fifth on sacrifice flies by Zaks and Cuevas.
Cal State L.A. will conclude the four-game series with Cal State San Bernardino on Saturday at 2 p.m. at Reeder Field.