LOS ANGELES – Cal State L.A.'s baseball team bounced back nicely from a frustrating loss on Thursday with a big doubleheader sweep over Chico State on Friday.
The Golden Eagles outlasted the Wildcats, 9-7, in the opener and then rode a complete-game, seven-inning outing from
Ralph Ramirez to take an 8-3 decision in the nightcap. Cal State L.A. (21-10, 16-7) moved into second place in the California Collegiate Athletic Association.
The Golden Eagles had to sweat one out in the opener after seeing Chico State slice an 8-3 deficit to 8-7 with four runs in the seventh. Reliever
Marcos Casillas, after struggling a bit in the seventh, was outstanding over the final two innings to put an end to the Chico State threat. He retired the last seven batters he faced to pick up his first save of the season.
The Golden Eagles didn't have nearly as much drama in the second game after scoring six times in the second inning to quickly erase a 1-0 deficit. Ramirez had to work hard in the game, though. He allowed only four hits, but also walked six and hit two batters and stranded nine Chico State runners on base.
Ramirez improved to 6-2 on the season with the win.
Kyle Peralta delivered a clutch two-run single to cap the second-inning. He had four hits in the doubleheader, while
Ryan Welker was 5-for-6 in the doubleheader with three runs scored and three RBI.
Icezack Flemming got the win in the opener after a gutty performance. He allowed nine hits and four earned runs and left after the first three batters reached in the seventh. He walked four and struck out five and improved to 6-2 with the win.
The Wildcats (13-15, 12-13) stranded 19 runners in the two games.
Chico State took a 2-0 lead in the opener after single runs in the first and second innings. Cal State L.A., though, scored four times in the bottom of the second to take the lead for good. With two runners on,
Lawrence Dominguez singled sharply to center and the ball rolled under the glove of centerfielder Sean Smith and all the way to the wall while
Rodrigo Martinez,
Paul Martinez and Dominguez all came around to score.
Trent Zaks doubled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Welker before the inning concluded.
Dominguez had another run-scoring single in the fourth inning to make it 5-2 and, after Chico State made it 5-3 in the fourth,
Trevor Meleski and
Rodrigo Martinez had run-scoring singles in the bottom of the inning to make it 7-3. A sacrifice fly in the fifth by
Jesus Cuevas made it 8-3.
Flemming carried the 8-3 lead into the seventh, but left after a double by Connor Huesers, a costly error and a run-scoring single by Danny Miller. Clayton Gelfand greeted Casillas with a run-scoring single to make it 8-5, a fielder's choice by Smith made it 8-6 and a run-scoring single by Jeff Ortega made it 8-7 before Casillas got out of the inning.
Cal State L.A. added a run in the eighth on a run-scoring groundout by
Rodrigo Martinez.
Cal State L.A. jumped out to a quick 6-1 lead in the second in the nightcap and never looked back.
Nick Osuna tied the game with a bases-loaded single and Zaks was hit by a pitch to give the Golden Eagles the lead. Welker then hit a two-run single to make it 4-1 and Peralta followed with a two-run single to make it 6-1.
Rodrigo Martinez tripled in a run and scored on a single by Dominguez to make it 8-1 in the fifth.
Ramirez wobbled a bit in the seventh, giving up two runs in the seventh before getting the final two outs.
Cal State L.A. will complete the series with Chico State on Saturday with a single game beginning at 11 a.m.
