BOX SCORE Sonoma State 14, Cal State L.A. 5 -- Box Score
LOS ANGELES -- After being swept in Saturday's doubleheader, the Sonoma State baseball team responded with a 14-5 blowout of host Cal State L.A. in Sunday's series finale at Reeder Field in Los Angeles. The Seawolves (3-3) and the Golden Eagles (4-6) split the first CCAA series of the season as both start the conference schedule with 2-2 records.
Justin Serrao smashed his second-career home run in the third inning, which sparked the Seawolf offense -- Sonoma went on to score at least one run in the next six innings to capture the victory. Serrao ended the day going 2 for 3 with three runs batted in and two runs scored.
Eric Ehlow continued to enjoy his Sonoma State debut on Sunday, delivering a two-run triple in the eighth inning to wrap up a 2 for 4 day at the plate with three RBI. In fact, Ehlow hit .455 (5-11) in three games this weekend, recording a double, triple, two home runs, six RBI and three runs scored to go along with a 1.273 slugging percentage.
Garrett Schwartz also had a pair of hits, brought home two runs and scored three times in the win.
Cal State L.A. actually outhit Sonoma State, 13-10, but Cal State L.A. pitchers (all six of them) walked eight batters and hit three others -- SSU pitchers combined to only walk two batters.
Jon Richards got the win in relief, his first in 12 career appearances, tossing the final five innings and allowing two runs (one earned) on seven hits and two walks, striking out three. He took over for starter
Matt Hammonds, who made his Sonoma State debut and worked the first four frames, scattering six hits and giving up three runs while fanning six.
The Golden Eagles struck first in the second inning when Jesus Cuevas reached on an infield single and later scored on a hit by Trent Zaks. Sonoma State took a 2-1 lead on a two-run home run by Serrao in the top of the third, but the Golden Eagles regained the lead in the bottom of the inning on a two-run single by Cody Doyle.
The Seawolves took the lead for good in the fourth inning by scoring four times. Two walks and a hit by pitch loaded the bases and another walk to
Wesley Wallace forced in the tying run. The go-ahead run scored on a fielder's choice by
Devin Alexander, another run scored on a groundout by
Nathan Bernstein and Serrao grounded a single through the left side to make it 6-3.
Sonoma State scored two more runs in the fifth on a run-scoring double by
Garrett Schwartz and a single by Ehlow to take an 8-3 lead. Cal State L.A. got a run back in the bottom of the inning thanks to a run-scoring single by Kyle Peralta, but the Seawolves answered with two more runs in the sixth, one in the seventh, two in the eighth and one in the ninth to break the game open.
Cal State L.A. got its final run in the ninth inning on a run-scoring groundout by Ryan Dixon. The Golden Eagles' Casey Ryan went 2-for-5 with two runs scored while Manny Acosta, Peralta and Zaks each had a pair of hits.
Sonoma State will play a doubleheader at Cal State East Bay on Friday before returning home on Saturday two wrap up the four-game series with another doubleheader against the Pioneers. First pitch is scheduled for 11:00 am both days.
