LOS ANGELES -- Cal State LA's baseball team got the bats going just in time to salvage a doubleheader split Sunday night at Reeder Field.

After dropping the opener, 11-5, to Cal State San Marcos, the Golden Eagles were staring at a 6-3 deficit in the sixth inning of the nightcap before a four-run rally lifted them to a 7-6 victory. Cal State LA (16-21, 15-18 CCAA) got a go-ahead two-run single by Jordan Peabody to put the finishing touches on the rally. 

Zachary Grande took it from there, working a 1-2-3 seventh inning to pick up his first win of the season. Grande retired all six batters he faced and struck out two.

Before the big sixth-inning rally, it had been a long, frustrating day for the Golden Eagles. Cal State San Marcos has a potent offense and took the opener, 11-5, behind a home run and four RBI from Austin Ott. Cal State LA's Alec Daily was pitching well, but had to exit in the fifth inning with an apparent injury. The Golden Eagles were able to tie the game at 4-4 in the bottom of the sixth, but Cal State San Marcos took advantage of 10 walks and five hits over the final four innings to break the game open.

Adam Gordon was 3-for-5 with two RBI in the opener, while Nate Alam and Nic Sandoval had two hits each.

Ott hit his fifth home run of the season and drove in four for the Cougars (19-23, 15-21), while Andrew Garcia was 4-for-5 with two runs scored.

The Cougars looked to be on their way to a sweep after scoring three runs in the fourth inning and three more in the fifth to take a 6-2 lead. Micah Hee kept the Golden Eagles close with a gutty five-inning effort. 

Cal State LA made it 6-3 in the fifth when Aaron McCann reached on an error with two outs, allowing Gordon to score and then the Golden Eagles really got things going in the sixth.

Noe Garcia walked with one out to start the rally and Tyler Odekirk followed with a single. Sandoval was hit by a pitch to load the bases and Gordon walked to force in a run and make it 6-4. Alam struck out, but the ball got away from the catcher, allowing Odekirk to score and, with runners on second and third, Peabody delivered a line drive single to right-center to drive in Gordon and Sandoval with what proved to be the winning runs.

Cal State LA will return to action on Thursday night at Reeder Field in the opener of a four-game series against UC San Diego.