SAN FRANCISCO -- Cal State LA's baseball team was unable to shake out if its current streak of narrow losses.
The Golden Eagles scored twice in the top of the ninth inning to get close, but came out on the short end of a 4-3 decision Saturday in a California Collegiate Athletic Association game at San Francisco State. Cal State LA (6-21, 5-11 CCAA) lost all three games of the series by one run and has now lost 10 games by one run this season. San Francisco State (12-12, 6-8 CCAA) took advantage of three Cal State LA errors that led to a pair of unearned runs and then held on for its third straight victory.
Christian Broussard, Jr. went 4-for-5 with a pair of doubles for the Golden Eagles, while
Armett Johnson was 1-for-3 with one run scored,
Angel Sanchez was 1-for-4 with one run scored and
Dakota Hernandez was 1-for-5 with one run scored.
Ralph Ramirez and
Mitchell Moore combined to limit San Francisco State to just six hits and two earned runs over eight innings. Ramirez gave up three hits and two earned runs in three innings, while Moore allowed only three hits and an unearned run over five innings. Moore walked one and struck out four during his outing.
Cal State LA took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a run-scoring single by Broussard, but the Gators tied it with an unearned run in the bottom of the inning. The Gators then took the lead for good with a two-run double from Myles Franklin in the third. The Gators made it 4-1 in the fifth when Chad Thurston reached on a bunt, took second on a throwing error, advanced to third on a sacrifice and scored on a sacrifice fly by Bryce Brooks.
The Golden Eagles struck for a pair of runs in the ninth inning and threatened for more before San Francisco State reliever Nathan Pisciotta shut the door. Sanchez and Johnson led off the inning with singles and
Ryan Dixon drew a pinch-hit walk to load the bases. After
Ryan Welker walked to force in a run, Pisciotta then entered the game and got Hernandez on a foul out and
Nathan Navarrete on a run-scoring groundout to make it 4-3. Broussard then grounded out to end it.
Cal State LA will return to action next Saturday with a three-game series against Sonoma State at Reeder Field. The series will begin with a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.
