LOS ANGELES -- Cal State LA's baseball team bounced back in a big way from Friday's disappointing extra-inning loss to Cal Poly Pomona with a spectacular doubleheader day at Reeder Field on Saturday.

The Golden Eagles got a game-winning three-run home run from Wilem Drozdowski in the bottom of the ninth to stun the Broncos, 12-11, in the opener and then rode another outstanding pitching performance from Owen Hunt to take the nightcap, 5-1 and sweep the California Collegiate Athletic Association doubleheader. Cal State LA (17-28, 12-23 CCAA) rallied from an 11-4 deficit in the final two innings of the opener and took the lead for good in the second inning of the nightcap with a three-run triple from Johnny Pacheco. Hunt allowed only seven hits and an unearned run over seven innings of the nightcap to improve to 6-1 on the season. He also tossed his third straight complete game and lowered his earned run average to 2.83, which is third in the CCAA.

Cal Poly Pomona (27-17, 22-12 CCAA) remains in a tie with Chico State for second in the conference.

Cal State LA staged a remarkable comeback in the opener. After trailing 8-1 after two innings, the Golden Eagles were still down 11-4 after seven innings before scoring four times in the eighth and four more times in the ninth to win it. Drozdowski had a big hand in the rally with a two-run triple in the eighth inning and then jumping all over the first pitch he saw in the ninth for a blast over the right-field fence to win it in the ninth.

Deandrey Carter pitched 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief to pick up the win in the opener. He allowed only one hit, walked just one and struck out three.

Dylan Needham got the start for the Golden Eagles and was charged with nine runs over three innings, but he deserved a much better fate. He induced a seemingly routine grounder to first with two outs in the second inning, but the ball took a wicked hop; over the head of first baseman Hayden Luff to drive in a run and give the Broncos a 2-1 lead. The Broncos then took advantage of the break and added four more hits and five runs, including a two-run double by Ryon Knowles. By the time the final out was recorded, the Broncos had an 8-1 lead.

Cal Poly Pomona extended the lead to 9-1 with a run in the top of the third, but Cal State LA rallied for three runs in the bottom of the frame to slice into the lead. Thomas Chavez singled in a run with the bases loaded, Luff drew a bases-loaded walk to drive in a run and another run scored on a Noe Garcia groundout. Cal Poly Pomona, though, countered with two runs in the top of the fourth to take an 11-4 lead.

That's how it stayed until the eighth when Luff tripled down the right field line and scored on a single by Garcia to make it 11-5. Drozdowski then delivered a two-run triple and scored on a single by A.J. Salgado and all of a sudden it was 11-8.

Then, in the ninth, Nick Penzetta, Luff and Garcia all singled to score a run and Gerardo Castaneda sacrificed to move Luff to third and pinch runner Josh Arm to second. After a groundout for the second out of the inning, Drozdowski belted his game=-winning home run to complete the rally.

Drozdowski was 4-for-5 with two runs scored and five RBI, while Salgado was 4-for-5 with two RBI. Noe Garcia was 3-for-5 with three RBI.

Johnny Pappas was 3-for-6 with three RBI for the Broncos, while Cesar Lopez, Knowles and Casey Slattery drove in two runs each.

The nightcap was much less explosive thanks to strong performances from Hunt and Cal Poly Pomona pitchers Drew Atherton and Zuko Tillman. Atherton was hurt by a pair of errors that led to three unearned runs in the second inning. He went 4 2/3 innings and allowed five hits and just two earned runs. Tillman allowed only one hit over 1 1/3 scoreless innings of relief.

Two big hits did the damage for the Golden Eagles with Pacheco's three-run triple in the second that scored Drew Emmons, Thomas Chavez and Nick Atkins and a two-run single by Emmons in the fifth that scored Pacheco and Will Picketts providing all five runs.

Pacheco was 2-for-4 and Emmons was 2-for-2 for the Golden Eagles.

The series will conclude with a single game on Sunday at Senior Day at Reeder Field. Senior ceremonies will begin at 1 p.m. with first pitch expected at 1:25 p.m.   Read Full Article