LOS ANGELES – The San Francisco State baseball team ended its weekend trip to Southern California on a disappointing note Saturday, dropping its second California Collegiate Athletic Association doubleheader in as many days to Cal State L.A. at Reeder Field. The Gators found themselves on the short end of a 10-5 score in the opener before falling by a 12-5 count in game two. With the sweep, SF State slips to 4-6 on the season and 0-4 in CCAA competition, while the Golden Eagles improve to 10-4 overall and 4-0 in league play.
Trailing 1-0 in game one, SF State got the equalizer in its half of the second after Ryan Williams (Woodland, Yuba College) scored on Ricky Del Zompo's double. However, CSULA quickly responded with Mario Ramirez's three-run double in the bottom half of the frame to put the home team up 4-1.
The Gators narrowed the gap to 4-2 in the top of the fifth as Sean Proni (San Francisco, College of Marin) scored on a Williams groundout. The Golden Eagles promptly answered with five runs, highlighted by Matt Miraldi's grand slam.
SF State plated a run in the eighth after Zach Anderson scored on Matt Memeo's (Cottonwood, California, West Valley, Shasta College) grounder; however, the deficit proved to be too much to overcome.
Brian Dearth (1-0) gave up four runs on five hits in five innings of work to collect the victory, while John Dunn pitched the final four innings to pick up the save. Conversely, Gator starter Patrick Haugen (Cayucos, California, Cuesta College) (1-2) allowed six earned runs on eight hits and five walks in the loss. Bobby Carini (Pleasant Hill, California, De La Salle, Canada College) notched three hits and scored two runs, while Wiliams added three hits and three RBI to pace the SF State offense.
The Gators were unable to contain CSULA's bats in the nightcap, falling behind 11-1 in the fourth inning. SF State drew first blood in the top of the second, as Williams scored on a Del Zompo groundout. However, the Golden Eagles scored seven times in the bottom of the frame and later added four runs in the fourth to put the game out of reach.
Anderson led the Gators with two hits, including a two-run homer over the left center field fence in the top of the sixth. Keith Garcia (Ventura, Oxnard College) also added a solo shot in the fifth.
CSULA starter Yuichiro Fujiwara (1-0) gave up two runs on five hits and three walks to pick up the win, while Kyle Mastellar (Corning, Shasta Junior College) (0-2) took the loss.
SF State returns to the diamond next weekend when it opens a four-game home setagainst CCAA foe Cal State Dominguez Hills at Maloney Field. Game one is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 27, beginning at 2 p.m. The two teams will battle one another in a doubleheader on Saturday, Feb. 28, slated to get underway at 11 a.m., before closing the series with a single game on Sunday, March 1 with another 11 a.m. start.
Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score
