Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 SAN MARCOS, Calif.— The Cal State San Marcos baseball team struggled to get things going Friday, dropping a doubleheader against San Diego Christian 18-1 and 4-2 as the Hawks completed the three-game sweep at the CSUSM Baseball Field.

The Cougars, who were 22-2 and ranked No. 3 in the NAIA entering the series, have been averaging 5.64 runs per game but couldn't come up with many timely hits Friday. Furthermore, the pitching staff that entered the day with the second best ERA in the NAIA (1.98) had a rare off day.

San Diego Christian gained some momentum early against Cougar ace James Dykstra, leading off the game with a double and an error and bringing both runs around to take an early 2-0 lead.

The Hawks pieced together two more runs in the second to take a 4-0 lead, then added three more runs in each the third and fourth innings to take a commanding 10-0 lead after four innings. James Dykstra (7-1) lasted 2.1 innings, allowing seven runs (five earned) on six hits, striking out two.

After allowing three runs (two earned) in the fourth inning, Matt Bataska struck out the side in the fourth and didn't allow a hit for the rest of his outing, leaving the game 10-0 until the seventh inning.

San Diego Christian picked up five more runs in the seventh and three more in the eighth to take an 18-0 lead, but the Cougars got on the scoreboard in the ninth when Tyler Bernard hit a leadoff single and stole second base, and Brandon Bentson brought him home with an RBI single to left center field.

The second game went much better for the Cougars, with Steve Messner keeping the Hawks quiet until CSUSM got a run in the fourth inning on a Rich Montanez single to left field that brought home Cody Sepulveda.

The Hawks' Garrison McLagan led off the sixth inning to tie the score at one, but Messner retired the next three batters in order to finish his afternoon with six innings pitched, allowing just one run on four hits while striking out seven.

Frank Charlton (3-1) took the mound in the seventh, giving up two singles and picking up an out before Justin Hertzmann came in looking to shut down the rally. Taylor Eichhorst proceeded to hit a three run homerun of Hertzmann to give the Hawks a 4-1 lead.

CSUSM rallied back within two in the bottom half of the seventh after Dylan Costello singled and scored on an RBI groundout by Kyle Secciani but couldn't get the tying run to the plate. With the losses, CSUSM drops to 22-5 on the season, while San Diego Christian improves to 24-13.

The Cougars next game is Tuesday, April 2 at Biola and will return home Friday April 5 for a conference game against La Sierra starting at 2:00pm.