Cal State LA Athletics

2014: Had his best season for the Golden Eagles in his final year with the program. Earned first-team All-California Collegiate Athletic Association honors after a sensational senior season. Appeared in 46 games and started all of them. Hit .316 with 54 hits in 171 at bats. Had 31 runs scored, 10 doubles, ohe triple and 12 runs batted in. Led the team in batting average and was second in runs scored. Went 3-for-4 with a double, two walks and a career-high four runs scored in a 12-2 win at Cal State Monterey Bay on Feb. 23. Went 3-for-3 with three runs scored in a 10-4 win over Cal State San Bernardino on March 29. Had 17 multi-hit games, including five three-hit games. Also pitched one inning in a 13-5 win at Cal State San Bernardino. Allowed only an unearned run while walking one and striking out one. For his career, appeared in 197 games and started all of them. Hit .307 with 214 hits in 696 at bats. Had 35 doubles, three triples, three home runs, 119 runs scored and 80 RBI.

2013: Had another third straight outstanding season for the Golden Eagles. Started in 54 of the team’s 57 games. Hit .278 with 52 hits in 187 at bats. Scored 35 runs and drove in 14. Earned CCAA Player of the Week honors for the second time in his career for the week of Feb. 11-17. Went 8-for-14 with four doubles, five runs scored and two RBI in a four-game sweep over San Francisco State. Equaled a career high with four hits against Cal State Monterey Bay on March 3. Went 4-for-5 with four runs scored and two RBI. Had a strong postseason for the Golden Eagles. Hit .372 with 10 hits in 27 at bats, scored six runs and drove in two in seven games in the CCAA Championship Tournament and NCAA playoffs.

2012: Had a second consecutive strong season for the Golden Eagles. Started all 48 games for Cal State L.A. and was third on the team with a .310 batting average. Picked up 54 hits in 174 at bats with one home run, 21 runs batted in and 31 runs scored. Started the season with a career-best four hits with three runs scored and three RBI in five at bats at Cal Baptist on Feb. 1. Went 4-for-4 with two hits and two RBI at Biola on Feb. 13. Had 14 multi-hit games and hit safely in 35 of 48 starts. Was fourth on the team in runs scored and sixth in RBI.

2011: Had an outstanding season for the Golden Eagles. Earned All-CCAA honorable mention. Hit .329 with 54 hits in 164 at bats. Led the team in runs batted in with 33. Had an on-base percentage of .407. Was named the CCAA Player of the Week for the week of Feb. 14-20. Hit .625 with 10 hits in 16 at bats and helped the Golden Eagles sweep a four-game series with San Francisco State. Scored three runs, collected three doubles and drove in six runs while posting a slugging percentage of .813. Had multiple hits in all four games. Also had a big series against Cal State East Bay, going 7-for-15 with nine RBI and five runs scored. Went 3-for-4 with a season-high four RBI in the series finale on March 6. Also drove in three runs in a game at Sonoma State on March 13. Had 17 multi-hit games and hit safely in 32 of 49 starts.

2010: Did not compete for the Golden Eagles and was a red-shirt.

At South El Monte High School: Competed in football, basketball and baseball. Earned first-team All-CIF honors in baseball (2007-09), football (2008-09) and basketball (2007-09). Earned first-team All-League honors three times in football. Caught 63 passes for 1,138 yards and 24 touchdowns. Was a four-year varsity member in baseball at shortstop and earned first-team All-Mission Valley League honors all four years. Was a three-year league Most Valuable Player as a forward in basketball while helping his team win three straight league titles. Was on the Principal’s Honor Roll for four years with a 3.7 grade point average. Was named the 2009 Athlete of the Year by the San Gabriel Valley Tribune.

Personal: Son of Manuel and Tammy Acosta. Majoring in Kinesiology. Enjoys sleeping, swimming, playing the Wii and going to movies. Lists hitting a grand slam home run to win a game in the bottom of the seventh inning as his most exciting experience in sports. Was the first male athlete from South El Monte High School to earn an athletic scholarship.