Playing on Sunday at Vanguard University, Cougar baseball put forth a total team effort to sweep Oregon Tech.  The Cougars won game one 6-3 and game two 5-2.

CSUSM improves to 2-0-1 on the year, while Oregon Tech drops to 1-4.

After managing just one run in 12 innings against Point Loma earlier in the week, the Cougar offense entered Sunday's games with something to prove - and did so promptly by plating five runs in the first inning of game one.

Johnny Omahen started things off with a leadoff walk.  After a sacrifice bunt, Kevin Silvett struck out, but reached when the ball got past the catcher.  Josh Miller then came up and rocketed a home run over the fence in left to make it 3-0. 

Ricardo Moran was then hit by a pitch, and Steve Harris ripped an RBI double to the gap to extend the lead to 4.  Finally, Ryle Parks knocked a base hit to center, plating Harris to give the Cougars a big 5-0 lead.

On the mound, CSUSM starting pitcher Chris Skaalen looked very good.  He allowed just one run through five innings before surrendering a two-run shot in the sixth and exiting.  The bullpen was excellent, with Eric Julienne, Johnny Holtman and Spencer Pardon all holding Oregon Tech scoreless.   Pardon tossed an easy ninth to pick up the save.

The defense behind those pitchers was also strong, not committing an error over the course of the game.  Silvett drove in the team's final run with an RBI double in the sixth inning.

In game two, Cougar starter Travis McCracken pitched a brilliant ballgame against an Oregon Tech team desperate for a win.  Working quickly throughout, the senior lefty worked the strike zone and relied on his defense, which once again played an error-free game.  McCracken threw six innings of three-hit shutout ball, walking just one and striking out five.

At the plate, the Cougars put themselves in positions to get runs, and forced Oregon Tech's defense into some costly miscues.  The Cougars plated two runs in the second when a hard-hit ball by Mike Pena was booted by the third baseman with two outs, and CSUSM added another in the fifth on an RBI single by Manzanarez after a wild throw by the catcher.

CSUSM's final two runs would come in the sixth when Patrick Gray and Jordan Polchow scored on RBI's from Pena and Mitch Ferguson.  Oregon Tech would get a two-run home run with two outs in the seventh and final inning, but that would be it as Richard Martin closed out the win.

The Cougars will play a home weekend series against Patten next week, starting at Mission Bay on Friday.