AZUSA -- Cal State LA's baseball team made a triumphant return to Southern California with a big non-conference win over Azusa Pacific on Tuesday.

The Golden Eagles, who opened the 2024 season with a six-games-in-four-days trip to Hawaii, took full advantage of a lengthy break when they returned. Cal State LA (3-4) got an outstanding start from Owen Hunt and a home run and five runs batted in from Matthew Piotrowski to beat Azusa Pacific, 10-1, at the Cougar Baseball Complex.

Hunt allowed only two hits over seven sensational innings with one walk and 10 strikeouts. It was the third time he has reached double figures in strikeouts in his magnificent Cal State LA career and, interestingly enough, the first time in those three outings he picked up a win. He had a career-high 11 strikeouts in seven innings, but had no decision in a 10-inning win at Cal Poly Pomona on April 6, 2023. Hunt picked up his first 10-strikeout performance in six innings against Stanislaus State on Feb. 26, 2022, but again got a no-decision in an eventual Cal State LA victory.

Piotrowski keyed the offense with a home run and five RBI, matching his Cal State LA career high set last season in a win over Cal State San Marcos on March 18.

After allowing Azusa Pacific's only run with a single, two wild pitches and a sacrifice fly in the first inning, Hunt was nearly unhittable over his next six frames. He struck out the side in the second inning, worked nicely around a one-out walk in the third, struck out two to work around a leadoff single and wild pitch in the fourth, struck out two as part of a 1-2-3 fifth inning, struck out two in a 1-2-3 sixth inning and finished his outing with a 1-2-3 seventh inning.

In all, he retired the final 12 batters he faced.

Miles Halligan took it from there, blanking the Cougars (2-7) without a hit over the final two innings.

Cal State LA had 14 hits on offense, including home runs from Piotrowski and Art Ruiz. 

The Golden Eagles jumped out to a 4-0 lead in their first at bat. Elijah Jackson led off by reaching second base on an error and moved to third on a single by Javy Espinoza. Piotrowski singled in Jackson for the first run of the game and Ruiz and Cesar Chavez followed with run-scoring singles. Malik Clayton drove in the fourth run of the inning with a groundout.

The game stayed at 4-1 until the sixth inning when the Golden Eagles broke the game open. Jackson and Espinoza started the inning with singles and Piotrowski followed with a three-run home run. Ruiz followed with a one-out solo home run and Kadyn Victorian fielder's choice RBI made it 9-1.

Piotrowski completed the scoring with a sacrifice fly in the ninth inning that drove in Victorian.

Jackson went 1-2 with four walks and two runs scored, Espinoza was 3-for-6 with two runs scored and Piotrowski was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and five RBI, making for an extremely potent top of the order for the Golden Eagles.

Ruiz, Clayton, and Ethan Gonzalez also had two hits for the Golden Eagles.

Cal State LA will return to action with its 2024 home opener against La Sierra on Friday at 2 p.m.