SAN DIEGO -- Cal State LA's baseball team found itself on the wrong side of another well-pitched game Thursday in the opener of a four-game series against Point Loma.
The Golden Eagles got good pitching from
Justin Davis,
Brandon Zavala and
Merrick Patito, but were blanked on five hits in a 3-0 loss to Point Loma at Carrol B. Land Field. Cal State LA (1-3) dropped its third straight game and its second straight by shutout. Point Loma (1-3) won its 2016 home opener after losing three close games at Chico State last week.
Dakota Hernandez had three of Cal State LA's hits, including a double.
Nathan Navarrete also had a double in three at bats, while
Armett Johnson had the other Cal State LA hit.
Point Loma managed eight hits, including a two-out solo home run in the first inning from Ryan Garcia. The Sea Lions added two runs with the help of two Cal State LA errors in the eighth to account for the final margin of victory.
Davis went three innings for the Golden Eagles and allowed just the first-inning home run. He walked one and struck out one. Zavala pitched four scoreless innings before allowing the two runs in the eighth. Patito retired the only batter he faced on a groundout.
Eric Pierce pitched seven scoreless innings for Point Loma and allowed five hits. He didn't walk a batter and struck out one. Patrick McMullen and Coleman Huntley III each worked a scoreless inning with Huntley picking up the save.
The Golden Eagles threatened in the first inning when Navarrete led off with a double and
Ryan Welker was hit by a pitch, but a double-play grounder and two-out groundout ended the inning.
Hernandez led off the second with a single and advanced to third on a pair of groundouts, but didn't score. Hernandez also had a two-out double in the fourth.
Hernandez and Johnson had back-to-back singles with one out in the seventh, but were stranded. Cal State LA left six runners on base in the game.
Cal State LA will continue its series with Point Loma on Friday at 2 p.m. in San Diego. The series will conclude with a doubleheader on Saturday at Reeder Field beginning at 1 p.m.
