POMONA -- Cal State LA's baseball team was unable to build upon its win Friday against Cal Poly Pomona and suffered a pair of losses on Saturday.
The Golden Eagles managed only two runs in a California Collegiate Athletic Association doubleheader and fell to the Broncos by scores of 12-2 and 2-0. Cal State LA (10-29, 9-19 CCAA) lost three of the four games in the series to Cal Poly Pomona (27-14, 19-10 CCAA).
Cal State LA managed eight hits in the opener, but could score only two runs.
Dakota Hernandez was 2-for-3 with one run and one RBI,
Nathan Navarrete was 2-for-4,
Ryan Welker was 1-for-4 with one run scored and
Paul Martinez was 1-for-1 with one RBI.
The Golden Eagles got good relief pitching from
Jordan Cavazos and
Ryan Dixon, who combined to hold Cal Poly Pomona to three runs and six hits over five innings of work. Cavazos allowed five hits and three runs over four innings while walking three and striking out four and Dixon pitched a scoreless inning while striking out one.
Jacob Bernardy was 3-for-4 with four RBI for the Broncos, while Caleb Romo was 3-for-3 with two runs scored and Ryan Webberly was 4-for-5 with two RBI. Max Bethell allowed six hits and one run over 7 2/3 innings to pick up the win.
Cal State LA scored single runs in the third and eighth innings. Welker doubled and scored on a double by Hernandez in the third and Hernandez scored on a double by Martinez in the eighth.
In the nightcap, the Golden Eagles got strong pitching from
Ralph Ramirez and
Gabriel Gentner, but were unable to generate any offense. Ramirez allowed only five hits and one earned run over four innings, while Gentner retired all six batters he faced over the final two innings. Gentner was also outstanding on Friday as he shut down the Broncos late to preserve a 6-4 victory.
Cal State LA got hits from Hernandez,
Christian Broussard, Jr.,
Garrett Dean and Dixon.
Michael Koval blanked the Golden Eagles on four hits over 6 1/3 innings and Ryan Alsworth got the final two outs to end it. Romo was 2-for-3 and scored both Cal Poly Pomona runs.
The Golden Eagles got the tying runs on base in the seventh after one-out hits from Broussard and Dean, but Alsworth came on to end the threat for his fifth save of the season.
Cal State LA will return to action at Reeder Field on Thursday at 6 p.m. with the opener of a four-game series against Cal State Dominguez Hills.
