By: Resty Grey

CSUSM baseball has bounced back after a rocky start on the season. Cougars opened 2 – 8, but since Feb. 15 the team has improved to 27-15.

“It only took a few games before losing got old,” said second baseman, Terrence Buchanan. “We got hungry and had big shoes to fill after last year’s success; a lot of us wanted to surpass that.”

Buchanan carries a batting average of .442 on the season with 20 runs batted in, 38 runs scored and 20 stolen bases in only 95 plate appearances. The second baseman boasts a whopping .508 on base percentage and is only one of many Cougars that has helped to carry CSUSM Baseball through the spring.

CSUSM swept La Sierra in their latest four-game series at home scoring 10 runs through each outing and shutting out LSU on two of four occasions.

CSUSM is expected to compete in the Association of Independent Institutions Championship tournament in March. Currently 10 games behind Georgia Gwinnett, the Cougars will be heading to Boston, MA to defend their title.

“We need to remember that we’ve been playing this game for a long time,” Buchanan said. “We’ve taken a million swings, thrown a million strikes and fielded a million ground balls; don’t make it any more than what it is. Competition will be tough, but any team can go out on any day and win.”