LOS ANGELES – A change of scenery did wonders for Cal State LA's baseball team.
The Golden Eagles returned home to Reeder Field on Saturday and swept a doubleheader from Cal Poly Pomona, taking the first game 12-7 and then hanging on for a tense 3-2 victory in the nightcap.
Cal State LA (15-7, 8-4 CCAA) lost the first two games of the series in Pomona on Thursday and Friday, but earned a split of the four-game series with the two wins on Saturday. The Golden Eagles erupted for nine runs over the sixth, seventh and eighth innings of the opener and then got a game-deciding three-run rally in the sixth inning of the nightcap.
The day was highlighted by the come-from-behind win in the nightcap. The game featured an outstanding battle between Cal State LA starter
Justin Davis and Cal Poly Pomona starter Henry Omana, who were locked in a scoreless tie into the fifth inning.
Daniel Pitts untied the game with a solo home run to right field in the fifth and that stood up until the sixth.
Nathan Navarrete led off the inning with a towering home run to right-center to tie it and
Sean Watkins gave the Golden Eagles the lead with a booming triple to center that drove in
Christian Broussard, Jr. with the go-ahead run. Watkins came around to score as well on the play after an errant throw to make it 3-1.
As if that wasn't enough, Watkins came into the game to pitch in the seventh inning and got the final two outs to pick up his first save. Davis went 6 1/3 outstanding innings and left with two on and one out. Watkins took a little while to get settled in and issued a walk to Kyle Candalla and a run-scoring single to Byrce Graddy. With the bases loaded and still one out, Watkins struck out Jacob Bernardy and got Chris Stratton on a fielder's choice to end it.
Davis wound up giving up five hits and two runs while walking one and striking out five. He improved to 3-1. Omana also pitched well, going six innings and give up five hits and three runs without walking anyone and striking out eight.
The Golden Eagles broke a 6-6 tie in the bottom of the seventh inning to take control of the opener.
Greg Humbert pitched well, going the first four innings and giving up five hits and two earned runs.
George Alamillo pitched two scoreless inning before getting into trouble in a three-run Cal Poly Pomona seventh inning and
Gabriel Gentner pitched the final three innings and got his first win of the season.
Navarrete had a huge game for the Golden Eagles, going 3-for-6 with four runs scored and three RBI. Broussard had a big game as well, driving in three runs and Watkins drilled a solo home run to left field for his team-leading sixth home run of the season.
The Golden Eagles won despite committing five errors. The Broncos committed three errors.
After the Broncos tied the game at 6-6, Navarrete drove in the eventual winning runs with a two-run single.
Garrett Dean scored on a wild pitch to make it 9-6 and Broussard singled in the final run of the inning.
Cal State LA will open a three-game series at Cal State Monterey Bay with a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at noon.
