HCA: Baseball drops non-conference match-up against California State Northridge

Washington State baseball did not get out to the strong start to the season they had hoped for as they fell to the California State University Northridge Matadors on Monday, 3-1 for their third straight loss. The loss comes a day after dropping the series finale against California State University Bakersfield.

In the season opener last Friday, the Cougars finished strong with a three-run ninth inning to beat the Roadrunners 5-2. Things went downhill for first year head coach Brian Green following that win as they dropped the next two games 3-2 and 7-2.

To finish out their California road trip on Monday, the Cougars scored first in the top of the third inning on a single by RJ Lan that would bring around Kyle Manzardo. The hits were there for the Cougars as they would finish with more than the Matadors but they struggled to string together a few as they left 5 runners on base.

The Matadors would respond and tie the game in the bottom of the fourth inning with a homerun by Jayson Newman. Jose Ruiz would bring in the following two runs in the fifth and seventh innings with two RBI singles that gave them a 3-1 lead.

Tanner West got the start on the bump for the Cougars and started out hot allowing just one hit through the first three innings. His second hit allowed was the homerun by Newman in the fourth inning. He finished with three hits, one earned run, three walks, and three strikeouts in his 21 batters faced.

Hayden Rosenkrantz came on in relief and pitched 1.1 innings giving up a run on one hit while hitting two batters while facing six. Bryce Moyle and Owen Leonard would finish off the game combining for one hit and two strikeouts in their seven batters faced.

The Cougars will next head to Hawaii to take on the Rainbow Warriors in a four game series beginning Thursday before heading to Peoria, Arizona to take on Rutgers. Their first home game is set for March 5th when they host Niagara.

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Baseball:

Cougars Drop Nonconference Matchup at CSUN

Washington State dropped a close 3-1 nonconference contest at CSUN Monday afternoon.

Basketball: