LOS ANGELES – Cal State L.A.'s baseball team will host its annual alumni game on Saturday, January 21, at Reeder Field with a special twist this year.
 
The Golden Eagles will honor Cal State LA's 1977 NCAA Division I World Series team in pregame ceremonies. This year marks the 40^th anniversary of the underdog "Ragamuffins from East LA" that the team was affectionately called by head coach Jack Deutsch. Cal State LA, as an NCAA Division I program, went on a remarkable postseason run that included an opening-round loss to Fresno State followed by wins over Hawaii, Fresno State and back-to-back come-from-behind victories over USC for the regional title and a trip to Omaha.
 
The '77 Diablos wound up fourth in the nation in an eight-team national tournament.
 
Deutsch, who was also a pitcher and a longtime scout for the Detroit Tigers, will be honored in a pregame ceremony. He was named the National Coach of the Year after taking a program that went 16-33 in 1976 and guiding it to a 42-22 record and into the College World Series.
 
"Jack preached self-confidence and instilled in us to play loose," said one of the team's top pitchers, Al Esparza. "He brought out the best in us and we had so much fun doing it our way."
 
The '77 Diablos were led by All-American outfielder Darrell Brown, who hit .386 and was later a third-round draft pick by the Detroit Tigers. Brown is among many members of the 1977 team who are expected to attend the Alumni Game and there will be commemorative baseball caps for sale with proceeds going to the Cal State LA program.
 
Festivities will begin at 10 a.m. with batting practice in preparation for a noon start to the game, Cal State L.A. Head Coach Vince Beringhele said. The 1977 team will face another team of older alums for a few innings to start things off and that will be followed by a team of younger alums facing the 2017 Golden Eagle team. Post-game food and activities will follow. The 1977 team is also planning to meet at a local restaurant for dinner.
 
This will be the first game at Reeder Field that features the newly-constructed indoor hitting/pitching facility playing as the wall in left-center field. The 4,000 square foot facility has multiple set-ups inside due to the one-of-a-kind netting track and includes batting cages and pitching mounds.
 
"The alumni game is always a great day for both former players and myself. We all have a fun time reminiscing about the past and the alums get a first-hand look at the 2017 Golden Eagles," Beringhele said. "It is truly an honor having the '77 team gather here on this, the 40^th anniversary since their amazing run. They are such an important part of our great history and I am so happy to have them here."
 
Alums are encouraged to email Beringhele at vbering@calstaela.edu if they are interested in attending.
 
The Golden Eagles will open their 2017 regular season with a single game at home against California Baptist on Thursday, Feb. 2 at 6 p.m. The three-game series against the Lancers will continue in Riverside on Friday and conclude Saturday at Reeder Field at 2 p.m. The Golden Eagles will also host Northwest Nazarene in a four-game series beginning on Thursday, Feb. 9 and conference play will begin at home on Thursday, Feb. 23, at 6 p.m.