LANCASTER -- Cal State LA's baseball team had a rough day in the Collegiate Baseball Classic Thursday against two different opponents.
Ralph Ramirez had another quality start, but the Golden Eagles managed only four hits and two runs in a 4-2 loss to Cal State San Bernardino Thursday afternoon at The Hangar and the Golden Eagles didn't fare any better in the nightcap, falling to the University of British Columbia, 12-4. The event is being hosted by the Lancaster JetHawks, the Class-A Advanced affiliate of the Houston Astros.
Ramirez went seven strong innings and gave up six hits and three runs in his third impressive outing of the season in the opener. Cal State LA, though, managed only single runs in the third and sixth innings against four Cal State San Bernardino pitchers. Tyler Wells allowed four hits and two runs in six innings to get the win for Cal State San Bernardino, while Jonathan Tellier, Cory Peterson and William Ouellette didn't allow a hit over the final three innings.
The Coyotes (6-7) got a two-out, two-run home run from Austin Lundeen in the first to take the lead and another run with two outs in the fifth to take a 3-1 edge.
Cal State LA sliced the deficit in half in the third inning.
Paul Martinez and
Angel Sanchez had back-to-back singles to open the inning and, after
Ryan Welker was denied a hit when his line drive was caught by a diving Cal State San Bernardino centerfielder Damion Edmonds,
Isaac Dominguez delivered a run-scoring single to make it 2-1.
After the Coyotes made it 3-1 in the fifth, Cal State LA got a run to make it 3-2 in the sixth.
Nathan Navarrete tripled to the right-centerfield wall and scored on a lineout by
Dakota Hernandez.
Cal State LA had one more threat when Navarrete drew a two-out walk and stole second and
Garrett Dean walked in the eighth, but both runners were stranded and the Golden Eagles were retired in order in the ninth.
James Mendez allowed two hits and one run in the eighth inning for Cal State LA.
The Golden Eagles (1-8) then struggled in their second game on Thursday, falling to the University of British Columbia (11-5). Cal State LA was blanked until the ninth inning when
Christopher Flores doubled in a run with a fly ball that fell in between three British Columbia fielders.
Ryan Dixon followed with a two-run home run to right and
Christian Broussard, Jr. doubled in
Nathan Navarrete.
British Columbia took advantage of 10 walks and five Cal State LA errors. The Thunderbirds scored four runs in the third to take a 6-0 lead and added five runs in the seventh to make it 12-0.
The Golden Eagles will play in one game on Friday at 4 p.m. against Cal State San Bernardino before concluding tournament play with a single game on Saturday against the University of British Columbia.