LOS ANGELES – The Cal State San Marcos baseball team's six runs in the first four innings proved to be enough as the Cougars took down Cal State L.A. 6-4 in the opening game of their four-game California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) series on Friday night.
 
The Cougars improve to 17-22 overall and  12-21 in conference action. The Golden Eagles fall to 21-17, 18-15 in CCAA play.
 
Junior Cabot Van Til went 2-for-4 with two runs, two RBI and his fifth home run of the season. Five other Cougars registered two hits in the game.
 
Junior Taylor Greene (5-3) collected the win after going 7.1 innings, recording three strikeouts and allowing three runs on nine hits. Junior Austin Ott came in from center field to pitch the final inning, picking up his third save of the season.
 
CSUSM wasted no time getting on the board. Van Til got things started, crushing a solo homer over the right field wall in the first inning.
 
CSUSM's next run came in the second inning on a junior Ruben Valdez double to left center that scored junior Justin Mellano who reached on an error.
 
The Golden Eagles split CSUSM's lead in half with a run in the bottom of the frame on a walk and back-to-back singles.
 
The Cougars answered with two runs in the third. Van Til drew a two-out walk, senior Aidan Stinnett doubled down the left line and Ott followed with a 2-RBI single that lofted over the first baseman to make it 4-1.
 
CSUSM added two more runs in the fourth inning. Mellano drew a leadoff walk and advanced to third after Valdez sliced a chopper to right field. Junior Adam Tanoue reached on a fielder's choice that had Mellano out at home. Consecutive RBI singles by senior Tyler Place and Van Til extended CSUSM's lead to 6-1.
 
CSULA put up three runs on the scoreboard in the eighth that included Sean Watkins hitting a solo homer to right center.
 
The Cougars return to Reeder Field to face the Golden Eagles again on Saturday, April 21 for a 1 p.m. game.