LOS ANGELES – The Cal State San Marcos baseball team (9-2) split its non-conference doubleheader with Cal State LA (8-7), falling 9-4 in the first game before earning a 13-2 win in the nightcap on Sunday at Reeder Field.
 
GAME 1: CSUSM 4 – LA 9
 
TOP PERFORMERS
Victor Castaneda – 1-for-5 | 2 RBIs
Jacob Embleton – 1-for-2 | 1 RBI | 1 R | 2 BB | 1 2B | 1 HBP
Canon King – 1-for-4 | 1 RBI | 1 2B
Rees Kent – 2-for-4
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• LA began the scoring in the bottom of the first as Omar Gonzalez hit a solo shot to make it 1-0.
• CSUSM tied it in the top of the second with a bases-loaded walk to Jacob Embleton.
• The Golden Eagles went up 6-1 in the bottom of the second with an RBI single by Cesar Chavez, a wild pitch that scored Carson Panarisi and an three-run homer by Gonzalez.
• LA concluded its scoring in the bottom of the fourth with a sacrifice fly from Ben Lee, an RBI single from Ethan Gonzalez and an RBI double by Panarisi to go up 9-1.
• A two-run single by Victor Castaneda and an RBI single by Canon King wrapped up CSUSM's scoring in the top of the fifth and made it a 9-4 game.

 
QUICK HITS

• Golden Eagle reliever Jared Robles (2-0) picked up the win as he struck out three while allowing one earned run on five hits and two hit-by-pitches in 4.0 innings.
• Cougar starter Ben Pernetti (0-2) took the loss after giving up six earned runs on six hits and three walks while striking out two in 2.1 innings.
• This was the first non-conference game played between CSUSM and LA since 2010 in Los Angeles.

 
GAME 2: CSUSM 13 – LA 2 (7 INN.)
 
TOP PERFORMERS
Zech Samayoa – 2-for-5 | 3 RBIs | 1 R | 1 HR
Michael Ryan – 2-for-4 | 1 RBI | 1 R
Stephen Espinoza – 2-for-4 | 1 RBI | 1 R | 1 HR
Rees Kent – 2-for-3 | 2 RBIs | 1 R
PJ Wendler – 6.0 IP | 6 K | 3 H | 1 ER | 0 BB
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Cougars came swinging out of the gate with a two-run homer by Zech Samayoa to make it 2-0 in the top of the first.
• An RBI single from Ben Lee cut LA's deficit to 2-1 in the bottom of the first.
• CSUSM took a commanding 6-1 lead in the top of the second on an RBI single by Jacob Embleton and an RBI single by Michael Ryan, which plated three runs due to an LA throwing error.
• A leadoff homer by Stephen Espinoza in the top of the third put the Cougars up 7-1.
• The Cougars tacked on a couple of more runs in the top of the fifth thanks to a two-run single from Rees Kent.
• A passed ball scored Ryan in the top of the sixth to put CSUSM ahead 10-1.
• The Cougars capped their scoring in the top of the seventh with an RBI single from Devin Munoz and an RBI fielder's choice from Samayoa while a Golden Eagle throwing error plated a run to make it 13-1.
• Down to its final out, LA mustered one final run with an RBI double by Cesar Chavez to make it 13-2.

 
QUICK HITS

• CSUSM starter PJ Wendler (3-0) posted six strikeouts while allowing just one earned run on three hits in 6.0 innings to pick up the win.
• LA starter Chris Lozana (0-1) was tagged with the loss as he surrendered six runs (five earned) on six hits and two walk in 1.2 innings.
• Michael Ryan improved his team-best active reached-base streak to seven games.
• This was CSUSM's sixth game with a double-digit run total.

 
UP NEXT
CSUSM will return home to face Simpson University for its final non-conference series beginning on Thursday, March 5 at 11 a.m.