LOS ANGELES -- Cal State LA's baseball team rallied nicely from an early 7-0 deficit, but couldn't make it all the way back Friday night against Stanislaus State.
The Golden Eagles pulled to within 7-6 and missed a potential game-tying three-run home run by just inches and ultimately fell to the Warriors, 8-6, in the California Collegiate Athletic Association opener for both schools. Cal State LA (5-6) scored twice in the sixth and four times in the seventh to make it a one-run game, but couldn't get any closer.
After allowing seven runs over the first three innings, Cal State LA got outstanding relief pitching from
Yuji Sakane, who pitched 3 2/3 innings and didn't get charged with a run until leaving the game with one on and one out in the eighth. In the meantime, the Golden Eagles struck twice in the sixth to get on the board and then four more times in the seventh to make things exciting.
Stanislaus State (3-3, 1-0 CCAA) got outstanding starting pitching from Maxwell Pappas, who carried a shutout into the sixth inning, and outstanding finishing from Noah Chelberg, who got the last seven outs of the game, six via strikeout. Pappas, who allowed three hits and one earned run, struck out seven to give the Warriors 13 strikeouts in the game.
Wilem Drozdowski and
A.J. Salgado had two hits each for the Golden Eagles, while
Drew Emmons had three runs batted in and came inches away from a fourth. His two-run double off the right-field wall that made it 7-6 just missed going out for a three-run home run.Â
The Warriors took advantage of a one-out error and scored four times in the first. The big blow was a two-run home run by Grant Bunker, who followed that up with a run-scoring triple that highlighted a two-run second inning for the Warriors. Stanislaus State made it 7-0 in the third on a run-scoring single by Zach Jones.
Cal State LA got on the board in the sixth. Drozdowski lined a double to right to lead off the inning and
Will Picketts was hit by a pitch with one out before Salgado walked to load the bases. Emmons reached on an error that allowed Drozdowski to score and
Gerardo Castaneda reached on a fielder's choice to drive in Picketts.
Nick Atkins was hit by a pitch,
Johnny Pacheco walked and Drozdowski singled to load the bases.
Hayden Luff drove in Atkins with a fielder's choice and Pacheco also scored on a throwing error to make it 7-4. Salgado then lined a single to center, moving Luff to third and Emmons followed with his booming double off the wall that made it 7-6.
The two teams will continue the series on Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.Â
