ROHNERT PARK -- Eric Dow ripped a grand slam in the eighth inning to lead the visiting Coyotes over No. 24 Sonoma State 7-3 in the CCAA series finale Sunday afternoon in California Collegiate Athletic Association baseball.

The victory was a big one for the Coyotes, now 23-19 overall and 20-14 in the CCAA, as they positioned themselves into third place by a half game over the Seawolves (29-16, 20-15). The Coyotes enter the final week of regular-season play with a conference tournament berth hanging in the balance. They will face conference-leading UC San Diego in a four-game series that begins at 6 p.m. Thursday night in La Jolla. Friday's game is at La Jolla in another night contest, before the series heads to San Bernardino on Saturday for Senior Day.

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The Coyotes took the four-game road series over the Seawolves, 3-1, and earned the tie-breaker over SSU should the two teams tie upon conclusion of the regular season. CSUSB also owns a one-game lead over fifth-place Cal Poly Pomona (20-16 CCAA), which faces Cal State L.A. in the final week of play. SSU has a make-up game scheduled at Cal State Monterey Bay on Tuesday and a four-game series against second-place Chico State that begins Friday.

The Coyotes trailed 2-0 through two innings, before getting back. Brandon Day's one-out sacrifice fly to left on a 2-1 offering from Connor Smith drove in Ethan Chapman, who reached on a fielder's choice.

CSUSB then tied the game at 2-2 in the sixth on Bryce Holland's run-scoring single to center that scored Darren Dworak, who reached on a single and advanced to second on a wild pitch.

In the decisive eighth inning, Matt Winn led off with a four-pitch walk and Dworak followed with a single through the right side of the infield. Brian Bordagaray came on in relief and promptly loaded the bases with a four-pitch walk to Bryce Holland.

That brought up Dow, who delivererd the first pitch over the left-center field wall and the Coyotes held the lead for the first time on the day, 6-2. Two batters later, Erik Ornelas' RBI-single scored Chapman, who reached on a fielder's choice.

The Seawolves added a run in the ninth.

Earning the victory was junior LHP Josh Lee (4-0), who retired all five batters he faced in two innings of relief. He had one strikeout and did not allow a hit.

Starter Lucas Sanford threw 5.1 innings and struck out five without a walk. He gave up just three hits. Trevor Longfellow relieved Lee in the eighth and had three strikeouts.

Offensively, Dow was 2-for-5 with four RBI, while Holland had three hits. The Coyotes out-hit the Seawolves 13-5.