Site: Mission Bay, Calif. (Mission Hills High School)
Score: California State University at San Marcos 8, Madonna University 4
Records: MU 4-2; CSSM 8-5-1
Next MU event: Saturday, February 27 vs. Ohio Dominican (Tiger Field - Georgetown, Ky.), TBA

BOX SCORE

MISSION BAY, Calif. (MadonnaCrusaders.com) - -After putting up three runs in the first inning, the No. 21-ranked Madonna University baseball team scored just one addition run and dropped the final game of its west coast swing to Cal State San Marcos - playing in its 14^th game of the season - by a final of 8-4 on Sunday (Feb. 21) at Mission Hills High School.

The Crusaders end the swing with a four and two mark including a sweep of No. 2-ranked Point Loma.

Junior Shawn Little (Canton, Mich.) led MU at the plate with a 3-for-5 day and a run scored. Senior Zach Flavin (Novi, Mich.) drove in two runs in the loss. Senior Jeff Mann (Waterford, Mich.) took the loss, giving up four runs on six hits in relief of starter Trent Pohl (Grand Ledge, Mich.). Pohl went three and a third, scattering three hits and three runs in taking the no-decision.

The Crusaders got on the board in the first inning, plating a trio of runs to go on top 3-0. Sophomore Billy Hardin III (Livonia, Mich.) led off with a walk and moved to second on a single from Little. Junior Dan Harder (Brighton, Mich.) then reached on an error that scored Hardin III and made it 1-0. Flavin then singled home Little to make it 2-0. Harder came home on a wild pitch to complete the scoring for a 3-0 lead.

The game remained 3-0 until the bottom of the fourth when CSSM tied the contest at 3-3 thanks to a three-run homer from Ryle Parks. The Cougars added three more runs in the fifth to take a 6-3 lead and added a single run in the sixth to go on top 7-3.

MU got a run back in the top of the seventh to trim the deficit to 7-4 as junior Matt Kay (Canton, Mich.) led off with a pinch hit double and moved to third when the throw back to the infield was misplayed by the Cougar infield. Junior Mike Gansser (Lake in the Hills, Ill.) then drove in Kay with a single to make it 7-4.

CSSM added an insurance run in the bottom of the inning to make it 8-4. MU had a threat going in the top of the eighth as the Crusaders loaded the bases but could not push a run across and fell by the 8-4 final.

The Crusaders are scheduled to return to the field next weekend, taking part in a three-way weekend series in Georgetown, Ky., on Saturday (Feb. 27 and 28) taking on Georgetown College and Ohio Dominican University. Game times will be announced this week.

Contact: Patrick Moore (734) 432-5834