Box Score IRVINE, Calif. – James Dykstra surrendered four hits in seven innings of work and the Cougars used a four-run third inning in the Cal State San Marcos baseball team's 4-1 upset of No. 11 Concordia (Calif.) in its season opener on Friday afternoon at Eagles Field.

It was a blue-collar outing for Dykstra (1-0), the reigning A.I.I. Pitcher of the Year. Even though he did not record a strikeout and walked four batters, he gave-up just a single run while forcing the Eagles (2-2) into 15 groundball outs.

After CSUSM (1-0) loaded the bases on Andrew Brooks (0-1) with one out in the top half of the third, Kyle Secciani connected with a seeing-eye single into the hole behind second base to drive in Rich Montanez and Tyler Bernard for the Cougars' first runs of the season.

Kenny Belzer followed with a single to right to send home Marcus Meraz from second, and Secciani scored on Brandon Bentson's sac fly to put the Cougars up 4-0.

 Dillion Bryant doubled off Dykstra in the bottom half of the frame to put runners on second and third with no out, but the Eagles could only manage a single run on Cody Smith's sacrifice fly.

Dykstra allowed just two hits in his final four innings of work. Frank Charlton worked a scoreless eighth for the Cougars and Hunter Brown (1) shut the Eagles out in the bottom of the ninth for his first save of the year.

Bernard finished the day 2-for-4 adding six assists at shortstop, while Meraz went 1-f0r-2 with a pair of walks.  

The Eagles and Cougars continue their series tomorrow at CSUSM Baseball Field with a doubleheader at 11:00 a.m.