KYLE TREMBLEY
CONTRIBUTOR

Cougar baseball did everything but win the game on Friday, out-hitting Chapman University 10-4 but still fell on the road 4-3. CSUSM drops to 20-15 on the season. Chapman improves to 22-5.

Chapman did the bulk of its damage in the third inning, where with two outs second baseman Tyler Hadzinsky knocked a bases- clearing three-run double off Cougar starter Adam Bileckyj, who otherwise was very solid. Bileckyj uncharacteristically walked four batters, but struck out four as well and allowed just four hits in his six innings of work.

The Cougar offense broke through in the fifth, with Victor Serna and Kyle Secciani drawing walks, Johnny Omahen sacrificing them over, and Serna scoring on a passed ball to cut it to 3-1.

Chapman would pick up what turned out to be a crucial insurance run in the bottom of the frame, as CSUSM continued to chip away at the lead. A Mike Mecucci sac fly cut it to 4-2 in the sixth, and Trent Jemmett’s RBI single made it 4-3 in the seventh, but with the bases loaded and one out the Cougars would fail to plate any more runs.

With reliever Kyle Smart working two perfect innings on the mound, CSUSM had its chance to complete the comeback, loading the bases again in the ninth. But Chapman reliever Kyle Tachibana induced a fly-out to strand the tying run at third, sending the Cougars home disappointed.

Photo courtesy of csusm.edu