BOX SCORE #23 Sonoma State 5, #28 Cal State L.A. 4 -- Box Score

STOCKTON, Calif. --  Glenn Wallace went all nine innings and, while he gave up two home runs that accounted for all four Cal State L.A. runs, the Sonoma State offense had his back, scratching out five runs, including three in an error-plagued fifth inning to help the fourth-seeded Seawolves edge No. 2 seed Cal State L.A., 5-4, on Friday night at Banner Island Ballpark in Stockton, Calif.

The win puts Sonoma State (34-18) in the CCAA tournament championship game on Saturday night at 6:00 pm against the winner of Saturday afternoon's elimination game between Cal State Monterey Bay (38-14) and Cal State L.A. (32-20).  The Otters and Golden Eagles square off at 2:00 pm.

The Seawolves have now topped the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds in the CCAA Tournament. 

Wallace got himself into trouble early on, surrendering a one-out solo home run to CSULA's Jeremy Weber in the top of this first inning, only the second homer allowed by the senior right-hander from Reno, Nev.  SSU got the run back -- and more -- in the bottom of the third inning, all with two outs.  Jackson Stogner began the two-out rally with an infield single to third base, then he came around to score on a double by Steven Filippi.  Filippi later wreaked havoc on the base paths, drawing a throw on an attempt to steal third, but the throw from Cody Doyle sailed into left field, allowing Filippi to put the Seawolves up 2-1.

In their next at bat, the Golden Eagles took Wallace deep again.  This time, Ryan Cooperstone smashed his first home run of the season, a three-run shot over the left field fence to give Cal State L.A. the 4-2 advantage.

The Seawolves came right back in the bottom of the fifth with three runs on two hits and two CSULA errors that got started with a Shawn Walters double to right center.  He then advanced to third on a groundout by Scott Harkin.  Justin Serrao came up and delivered an RBI single up the middle, scoring Walters from third.  After Stogner walked, Filippi reached base on a fielding error to load the bases.  A Marcus Kimura grounder then brought home two runs on another fielding miscue by CSULA, putting the Seawolves ahead 5-4.

From then on, Wallace did work.  In the final four innings, he allowed just one base runner, thanks to an SSU error, but that runner would be erased when Wallace induced an inning-ending double play off the bat of Manny Acosta in the sixth.  That would be the first of 10 straight batters that Wallace would retire, effectively earning his ninth win of the season in the process.  He scattered six hits to CSULA on the night.

It was the sixth complete game of the season for Wallace, who seemed to get better with each passing inning.  He improved to 9-1 on the season.

Offensively, Serrao led the way with a 2 for 3 night at the plate with an RBI and a run scored, and Stogner scored twice after going 1 for 3 with a walk.  In total, SSU tallied seven hits off of two CSULA pitchers, including starter Brandon Quintero (8-5), who went seven innings and gave up six hits, five runs (two earned), three walks while striking out eight.  Cedar Morgan came on in relief of Quintero in the eighth and allowed a hit.

Sonoma State is looking to capture a record sixth CCAA tournament title.  They will go for it at 6:00 pm Saturday against the winner of Saturday's 2:00 pm elimination game between CSUMB and CSULA.  The Seawolves are in prime position to bring home another banner, as they will need just one victory to claim the championship, while whomever they face must defeat SSU twice (a seventh "if necessary" game is scheduled for Sunday at Noon).