SAN MARCOS, Calif. – The Cal State San Marcos baseball team began its 2020 season with a 14-7 loss to NR/RV Dixie State on Friday afternoon at CSUSM Baseball Field.
 
TOP PERFORMERS
Luc Stuka – 2-for-5 | 1 HR | 3 RBI
Joseph Bahna – 2-for-4 | 2 R | 1 RBI | 1 2B | 1 BB | 1 SB
Ethan Ellis – 2-for-5 | 1 RBI | 1 R | 1 SB
Andrew Garcia – 2-for-6 | 1 R
Jonathan Combs – 1-for-1 | 1 RBI | 1 SB
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Dixie State got on the board first with an RBI single to left center by Jake Engel and a two-RBI double by Tyson Fisher.
• Down 3-0 entering the bottom of the first inning, Bahna got the Cougars on the board with an RBI single before Stuka belted his first collegiate hit over the right field wall to knot the game at 3-all.
• CSUSM took a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the second inning as Griffin Teisher scored on an infield error by DSU.
• A bases-clearing double by Jake Brown in the top of the third inning put the Trailblazers back on top at 6-4.
• Tyler Hollow made it a 7-4 lead for DSU in the top of the fifth inning with an RBI single, but he was thrown out trying to turn it into a double.
• The Trailblazers posted a four-run inning in the top of the sixth to go up 11-4 after three RBI singles and a sacrifice fly to right.
• The Cougars finally ended the scoring drought in the bottom of the seventh as Ellis sent an RBI single into center to score Zach Schuberg and make it 11-5.
• CSUSM cut the deficit to 11-7 with two more runs in the bottom of the eighth on a Stuka RBI single through the right side and a pinch-hit RBI single by Combs that also went through the right side.
• DSU put the game away in the top of the ninth after scoring on a CSUSM fielding error and a two-RBI single up the middle by Lane Pritchard to go up 14-7.

 
QUICK HITS

• CSUSM opens the season at 0-1 while DSU moves to 1-0.
• The Trailblazers' Benton Hart (1-0) earned the win after throwing 3.1 innings of relief while striking out four and allowing just two hits and a walk.
• Cougar starter Garrett Apker (0-1) took the loss as she allowed five runs on four hits and three walks while striking out four in 2.2 innings.
• This was the first-ever meeting between CSUSM and DSU.
• Dating back to last season, Bahna improved his hitting streak to four games while Garcia moved his streak to three games.
• Prior to the game, Dr. Bennett Cherry threw out the ceremonial first pitch.

 
UP NEXT
CSUSM and Dixie State will play the second game of the series on Saturday at noon at CSUSM Baseball Field. Live video will not be available for the second game of the series, but fans can follow the live stats at game time.