Ryan ChartrandThe Cal Poly baseball team dropped its Big West Conference home opener 8-7 to Cal State Northridge on Thursday night at Baggett Stadium.
The Mustangs (16-17, 3-1 Big West), who had a three-game winning streak snapped, committed six errors – one shy of tying a school record. Cal State Northridge committed four errors of its own in a wild game that lasted 3 hours, 53 minutes and saw the two teams combine for 24 hits.
Cal Poly sophomore right-hander Eric Massingham got the start and fell victim to poor defensive play behind him, as three of the four runs he allowed were unearned. He gave up four hits in 1 2/3 innings.
Kyle Smith and Wes Dorrell (three hits each) and Logan Schafer and Adam Buschini (two hits apiece) all had multiple hits for Cal Poly.
The Mustangs actually had runners at first and second with two outs in the bottom of the ninth before Smith flew out to center field to end the game.
The two teams continue their three-game series at 6 tonight before wrapping things up at 1 p.m. Saturday.