CARSON -- Cal State LA's baseball team picked up an important victory Thursday in the opener of a four-game California Collegiate Athletic Association series at Cal State Dominguez Hills.

The Golden Eagles scored 12 runs in the second and third innings and went on to a 16-5 win over the Toros at Toro Field. Cal State LA (24-23, 21-16 CCAA) remains in fourth place tie with Chico State in the conference standings.

Cal State LA collected 21 hits in the game, including a two-run home run from Brayan Nunez, who went 3-for-6 with three RBI. Cesar Chavez was 5-for-6 with three runs scored, Isaiah Marquez was 2-for-6 with two RBI and Alberto Prado also had two RBI.

Malik Clayton, Javy Espinoza and Ethan Gonzalez also had two hits each for the Golden Eagles.

Trey Winget had a two-run home run for Cal State Dominguez Hills (28-18, 25-12 CCAA).

Cal State LA's Anthony Lopez, Isaac Quintero and Jace Paderez flourished on the mound for the Golden Eagles after the big early lead. Lopez allowed one run over two innings and Quintero allowed four runs over six effective innings to earn the win. He is now 3-0. Paderez finished up with a scoreless ninth inning.

The Golden Eagles scored four times in the second inning to take the lead and held a 12-1 lead after an eight-run third inning.

Gonzalez opened the scoring for the Golden Eagles with a run-scoring single and Kadyn Victorian drove in a run with a fielder's choice. Marquez then delivered a two-run double to stretch the lead to 4-0.

The Golden Eagles then strung together a series of outstanding at bats in the third inning and scored eight times on 10 hits to break the game open.

Espinoza reached on an infield single to score Clayton with Chavez also scoring on an error and Nunez homered to right to make it 8-1. Prado singled in a pair of runs with the bases loaded to make it 10-1 and Clayton and Chavez had RBI singles to make it 12-1.

Ben Lee had a run-scoring single in the fourth to make it 13-1. Nunez tripled in a run in the fifth and scored on a wild pitch to make it 15-4.

Cal State LA will continue the series at Cal State Dominguez Hills on Friday with a doubleheader starting at noon.