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LAKE CHARLES, La. – The Chicago State baseball team opened the 2014 season with a 9-3 setback at McNeese State on Friday (Feb. 14) night.
The Cougars opened the scoring with a single run in the first inning. Junior
Mattingly Romanin (Burlington, ONT/Notre Dame) doubled with one out and scored on a single through the left side by junior
Chase Matheson (McHenry, Ill./McHenry)
Chicago State's lead didn't last long after McNeese State scored three in the bottom of the frame. Senior starting pitcher
Dylan Sterrett (Chalmers, Ind./Frontier) struggled with his command and walked four Cowboys in the frame. The Cougar defense didn't provide any help, committing two errors in the inning to make all three runs unearned.
The Cougars advance within a run thanks to a tally in the top of the third inning. Romanin singled in sophomore
Julian Russell (Chicago, Ill./Gordon Tech), who opened the frame with a leadoff walk. Chicago State left the bases loaded in the frame after back-to-back Cougars popped out.
Then the Cowboys offense took over with a run in the third, three in the fourth and another run in the fifth.
Chicago State loaded the bases with one out again in the seventh, only to see a pair of strikeouts end the threat. The Cougars loaded the bases once again in the eighth, this time with no outs. CSU scratched across one run on an RBI single by junior
Evan Davis (Sterling, Ill./Sterling).
"We hit the ball well and had some good at bats but missed the timely hit in the big situation," Chicago State head coach
Steve Joslyn said. "We just walked too many guys and made too many errors."
Sterrett took the loss after allowing four runs (one earned) in three innings. Junior
Eric Hall (Oakville, ONT/Oakville Trafalgar) threw the final four innings, allowing an unearned run on two hits. McNeese State starter Lucas Quary earned the win. Steven O'Bryant picked up the save.
"Eric came in and did a really nice job for us," Joslyn said.
Chicago State finished with 10 hits but also left 10 on base.
Junior
Jared Patterson (Ventura, Calif./Buena) went 3-of-5 with a double. Freshman
Sanford Hunt (Chicago, Ill./Kenwood) picked up his first collegiate hit. Patterson, Matheson, junior
Robert Swenson (Mason City, Iowa/Mason City), junior
Jordan Stroschein (Marion, Iowa/Linn-Mar) and Davis each picked up their first NCAA Division I hit.
McNeese State moves to 1-0 with the win while the Cougars are 0-1. Chicago State returns to action on Saturday against Southern Mississippi. First pitch of the neutral site contest with the Golden Eagles is set for 7 p.m. CT.
