LOS ANGELES -- Cal State LA's baseball team turned in a solid performance in its first California Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament appearance since 2018, but came up just short in a first-round elimination game against Chico State.

The No. 4 Golden Eagles were in striking range all the way to the end of a 5-3 decision to the No. 5 Wildcats in the second of two first-round tournament games on Wednesday at Reeder Field.

In the first game, No. 3 seed San Francisco State broke a 6-6 tie with two runs in the eighth inning and got out of a bases-loaded jam in the ninth inning to edge No. 6 Cal State San Marcos, 8-7.

Chico State advances to face No. 1 seed Monterey Bay on Thursday at 11 a.m., while San Francisco State will meet No. 2 seed Cal State Dominguez Hills at 3 p.m. A third elimination game will take place on Thursday at 7 p.m.

Cal State LA and Cal State San Marcos were eliminated on Wednesday and four teams begin the double-elimination portion of the tournament.

It was a festive day nonetheless for Cal State LA, which is hosting the CCAA Tournament for the first time since 2007. The Golden Eagles all-conference selections - Malik Clayton, Isaiah Marquez, Brandon Gutierrez, Ben Lee, Alberto Prado and CCAA Freshman of the Year Ismael Quintero - were presented with their awards by CCAA Commissioner Allen Hardison.

Atticus Gonzalez was presented with the CCAA Elite 13 Award for top academic achievement.

And Cal State LA President Berenecea Johnson Eaves threw out the ceremonial first pitch and celebrated with the Golden Eagles' award winners.

The Golden Eagles played a solid game on Wednesday with their only miscue coming on a wild pickoff attempt in the eighth inning. The Golden Eagles got good pitching from their starter, Gutierrez, and relievers Anthony Diaz and Gutierrez and had the tying runs at the plate in each of the final three innings.

It just wasn't enough.

Chico State got solo home runs from Troy Kent and Daniel Vierra and three runs batted in from Casey Vogan. The Wildcats used three pitchers - starter Rocco Borrelli, Marco Ibarra and Tyce Ochs - to get the job done and played flawless defense behind their trio of pitchers.

Gutierrez had another outstanding start, but once again didn't have much offense support behind him. He worked 6 2/3 innings and gave up 10 hits and four runs while walking one and striking out one.

Diaz got out of a seventh-inning jam and then gave up an unearned run in the eighth inning. Quintero came on with runners on second and third with one out and got a shallow fly ball that was just deep enough to score a run before stranding four Chico State base runners over the final two innings.

Cal State LA trailed 2-0 before Prado hit a solo home run in the fourth to cut the deficit to 2-1.

Chico State got a two-run single from Vogan to make it 4-1 in the sixth, but the Golden Eagles again came back on a run-scoring single by Cesar Chavez to make it 4-2.

Vogan's sacrifice fly in the eighth made it 5-2 and the Wildcats then got the biggest defensive play of the night in the bottom of the inning. After Lee lined out, Prado singled to right. Malik Clayton then drilled a shot that seemed destined to be a hit, only for Chico State shortstop Ernie Arambula make a diving catch for the second out of the inning.

That play loomed even larger when Chavez doubled to right-center to drive in Prado and make it 5-3. If not for Arambula's heroics, that double would have scored two runs and really made things interesting.

Chavez was 3-for-3 with two RBI for the Golden Eagles, while Prado was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and one RBI. Lee was big for the Golden Eagles behind the plate, throwing out two Chico State base runners trying to steal to short-circuit potential rallies.