LOS ANGELES -- Cal State LA's baseball team had designs on a four-game series sweep, but Colorado School of Mines dashed those hopes on Sunday with an offensive barrage.
The Golden Eagles were tied at 3-3 after two innings, but the Orediggers scored five times in the third inning and never looked back in a series-ending 18-5 decision at Reeder Field. Cal State LA (5-4) ran into early trouble, getting runners picked off first base in each of the first two innings to short-circuit potential big innings. Five Cal State LA pitchers combined to walk nine batters and hit another and the Golden Eagles committed four errors in the field as well.
The game was called after seven innings by a mutual pre-game coaches decision due to travel considerations.
The Orediggers (2-6) didn't need any assistance, banging out 16 hits, including home runs from Garret Nielsen and Trent Nielsen, who each drove in four runs. Leadoff hitter Jackson Woolwine capped a big weekend by going 2-for-2 at the plate and reaching base on all five plate appearances.
Matthew Piotrowski had two of the Golden Eagles' nine hits and drove in two runs.
Art Ruiz,
Andrew Tovar and
Alfonso Jalil also drove in runs, while
Johnny Pacheco,
Trevor Baugh,
Stevie Murata,
Ethan Gonzalez and
Kai Penuelas scored runs.
Joel Martinez made the start for the Golden Eagles and was followed by
Jaycee Flores,
Colby Davis,
Kadyn Victorian-Young and
Yuji Sakane.
After falling behind 3-0 in the first inning, the Golden Eagles got one run back in the bottom of the first on a run-scoring single by Piotrowski and then tied it in the second a run-scoring single by Jalil and a bases-loaded walk by Ruiz, but the Golden Eagles couldn't push across a go-ahead run. Garrett Nielsen then led off the third inning with a home run to start a five-run rally for the Orediggers that broke the 3-3 tie and they added seven more in the seventh to put the game out of reach.Â
Cal State LA will return to action on Friday with the opener of a four-game California Collegiate Athletic Association series against Cal State San Bernardino.
