SAN FRANCISCO -- Cal State LA's baseball team came up short in the opener of an important four-game California Collegiate Athletic Association series at San Francisco State.

The Golden Eagles outhit the Gators, 12-7, but San Francisco State scored four times in the sixth inning and three times in the seventh and went on to a 9-5 victory at Maloney Field. Cal State LA (20-23, 14-19 CCAA) slipped into a tie for seventh place with Sonoma State. Both teams are two games back of Cal State Dominguez Hills pending the Toros' game at Cal Poly Pomona on Friday night.

San Francisco State (24-19, 18-15 CCAA) is in fifth place in the conference.

The top six teams will qualify for the CCAA Tournament.

Cal State LA got outstanding production from the top of its order. The top four batters had 10 of the team's 12 hits. Elijah Jackson was 3-for-5 with three runs scored, Javy Espinoza was 3-for-4 with one run scored and two RBI, Matthew Piotrowski was 2-for-5 and Isaiah Marquez was 2-for-4 with one RBI.

Kai Penuelas smacked his second home run of the season for the Golden Eagles.

Owen Hunt started for the Golden Eagles and went 5 2/3 innings, allowing four hits and five earned runs. He walked six and also struck out six. Michael Gill allowed one hit, a walk and one earned run in 1/3 inning, Dorsey Chatham gave up one run in his one inning of work and Jorge Romero tossed one scoreless inning.

The Golden Eagles jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Espinoza singled with one out and took second on a single by Piotrowski. Marquez delivered the third single of the inning to drive in Espinoza with the first run of the game.

After the Gators tied it in the bottom of the first, the Golden Eagles took a 2-1 lead in the third. Jackson singled to center, went all the way to third on an error and scored on a sacrifice fly by Espinoza.

The Gators tied it with a run in the fourth and took the lead for good with a four-run sixth inning.

Cal State LA got two runs back in the top of the seventh to make it 6-4, but the Gators struck back with three runs in the bottom of the inning to make it 9-4. Penuelas hit his home run to right-center to start the Golden Eagles' rally and Espinoza singled with two outs to drive in Jackson.

Cal State LA got its final run in the ninth inning when Jackson singled and eventually scored on a wild pitch.

The series will continue on Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at noon.