PALM SPRINGS, Calif-  For the third straight year, the Sonoma State baseball team will play for the CCAA Championship.  The Seawolves defeated Cal State L.A. 10-9 in an elimination game on Friday night to set up a rematch with UC San Diego on Saturday at noon.  The Seawolves are now 32-13 on the season.

Knowing their backs were against the wall, the Seawolves jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning when Ian Bridges and Danny Pignataro produced runs.  CSULA got one run back in the bottom of the inning, but the Seawolves pushed forward in the second with three more.  Joe Slater drove home two, then came around to score on a Kris Haycock single.

The Seawolves would push the lead to 9-3 before the Golden Eagles reeled them in with five runs in the fifth and another in the sixth to make it 9-9.

In the top of the ninth, with the two outs and two runners on, Danny Pignataro came up with the big hit, scoring Haycock on single to center to give Sonoma a 10-9 lead.

The Golden Eagles threatened late, but thanks to an amazing catch by Mark Pestorich and some nice relief work from Brian Flint, the Seawolves held on.

The Seawolves will take on UC San Diego at noon on Saturday, needing two wins to claim their third consecutive CCAA championship.

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