LA MIRADA -- Cal State LA's baseball team got another huge game at the plate from
A.J. Salgado in the opener of a four-game series at Biola.
Salgado went 5-for-5 with four runs batted in during the Golden Eagles' 12-7 loss to the Eagles Thursday at Eagles Diamond. Cal State LA (3-4) managed 12 hits, but Biola (1-3) got a second-inning grand slam and three-run rallies in the seventh and eighth innings to record the win.
Nick Atkins had two hits and scored two runs, while
Wilem Drozdowski had a hit and a walk and scored two runs.
Christian Casados went the first three innings for the Golden Eagles and gave up six hits and five earned runs. He walked four and struck out three.
Deandrey Carter went the next 3 1/3 innings and gave up a pair of unearned runs. He gave up two hits, walked one and struck out two.
Julien Garcia went the last 1 2/3 innings and gave up four hits and three earned runs.
Salgado had four singles and a double and also stole a base to continue his torrid start to the season. Through the team's first seven games, Salgado is hitting .621 with eight runs scored and five RBI. He has six multi-hit games and has three or more hits in three games.
Cal State LA took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when
Johnny Pacheco and Drozdowski both reached base with walks to start the inning and Salgado delivered a two-out double to drive in Pacheco.
Biola's Tyler White hit a grand slam in the second inning to stake the Eagles to a 4-1 lead. It was part of a seven-RBI game for the Biola third baseman.
Cal State LA made it 4-3 in the third inning with a pair of runs. Salgado singled in one run and
Thomas Chavez singled in Salgado for the other.
Biola got one run back in the bottom of the inning, but Cal State LA scored twice in the fourth to tie it at 5-5. Salgado was at it once again, singling in both runs to tie the game.
Biola regained the lead again in the bottom of the fourth before Cal State LA once again battled back to tie it in the fifth. This time,
Hayden Luff had the clutch hit with a single to drive in Atkins.
Biola then took the lead for good with three runs in the seventh. Cal State LA got its final run in the eighth inning when
Will Picketts connected for his first home run of the season to make it 9-7, but Biola scored three times in the bottom of the inning to account for the final margin.
The series will continue with a single game at Biola on Friday beginning at 2 p.m.
