LOS ANGELES -- The aces went head-to-head on Thursday at Reeder Field at Cal State L.A. on Thursday and the home team won a very close game to take a 1-0 lead in the series.

Cal State L.A.'s Isaac Morales out-duel Cal State Stanislaus hurler Dakota Watts as the Golden Eagles edged the Warriors, 4-2, to open the four-game set. Cal State L.A. improved to 24-13 and 16-9 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association. The Warriors are 23-12 and 13-11 in the CCAA. CSUS is now 5-9 away from Warrior Field this season.

L.A. is now just 1/2 game behind second place Sonoma State and the Warriors remain in fifth place, a full game behind four-place Cal State Dominguez Hills.

Morales, one of the top pitchers in the CCAA in recent years, tossed seven solid innings and gave up just a run on four hits to pick up the win to improve to 4-3. He struck out four and walked two. Watts, now 7-2, went six innings and gave up six hits. He struck out eight, but walked seven batters.

Cal State L.A. scored a run in each of the first three innings for a 3-0 lead.

Cal State Stanislaus finally got on the board in the sixth when Ryan Silver scored on a Kyle Loretelli single. Silver had walked and moved to second on an infield hit by Jacob Thelen.

After the Golden Eagles added an insurance run in the seventh for a 4-1 lead, the Warriors were quieted by LA reliever John Dunn. Dunn gave up a ninth inning run and three hits in two innings for the save.

The Warriors added a score in the ninth with David Contrereas hit a pinch-hit double with two outs and scored on a Casey Filkins single up the middle. Joseph Pilatti would also get a pinch hit single to give the Warriors another chance. With two-on and one out, however, Alex Zanini grounded out to short to end the game.

Filkins and Thelen each finished with two hits.

The series continues with another single game at 6 p.m. on Friday.

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