LOS ANGELES -- Cal State LA's baseball team had to brave the elements and the California Collegiate Athletic Association's South Division leaders Thursday night at Reeder Field.

In extremely gusty conditions, the Golden Eagles struggled offensively and fell to UC San Diego, 9-3. Cal State LA (20-21, 13-18 CCAA) was scoreless until the ninth inning and unable to snap its eight-game losing streak. The Tritons (29-11, 21-9) extended its lead in the South Division to one full game.

Cal State LA managed only four hits, two of them in the ninth inning. The Golden Eagles were hurt by the strong winds in their very first at bat as leadoff hitter Nathan Navarrete drilled a shot to right-centerfield that would have been a home run on nearly every other day but this one. The wind knocked the drive down enough that Jack Larsen was able to make the catch right in front of the wall.

Navarrete, though, came up with a triple in the ninth inning to drive in the Golden Eagles' first run of the game. Sean Watkins had a two-run double later in the inning to account for the rest of the Cal State LA scoring.

Nate Adams pitched well for the Golden Eagles, allowing only four hits and one run before departing with two outs in the fifth in a 1-0 game. UC San Diego scored three times in the fifth, two times in the seventh and three times in the ninth. Ryan Dixon had a good outing, getting the final two outs with one strikeout in the ninth.

Troy Cruz was the story of the game, allowing only two hits in seven outstanding innings. He didn't walk a batter and struck out five. After Navarrete flirted with a home run in the first, Cruz settled in and carried a perfect game into the fifth when Jorge Garcia lined a one-out single to left. The next batter, Angel Sanchez, hit a bullet down the right-field line, but first baseman JD Hearn snared it for an inning-ending double play.

UC San Diego collected 12 hits in the game, including three from Tyler Durna, who was hitting a team-leading .417 entering the game. He scored three times and drove in three. Larsen was 1-for-3 with two walks for the Tritons and scored three times. UC San Diego also played outstanding defense with its infield making some solid plays and first baseman Durna accounting for 15 putouts.

Isaac Dominguez had a double for the other Cal State LA hit.

Cal State LA will continue the series with UC San Diego on Friday with a game at Reeder Field scheduled to begin at 6 p.m.