The EC men’s baseball team couldn’t shake off a slow start as it dropped the first of a two-game conference series against the Huskies of East Los Angeles College with a score of 5-3 on Tuesday, April 17 at Warrior Field.
The Warriors (21-15, 10-8) were charged with four errors on the game, one of which directly benefited the Huskies (21-15, 11-7) with their first two runs of the game in the first inning.
“I just thought we didn’t come out well,” head coach Nate Fernley said. “When you look at the scoreboard you see four errors on us and none for them, so they just played a better game.”
Starting pitcher Kenneth Haus was charged with his first loss of the season after giving up two earned runs on five hits and four walks, but still managed to tally six strikeouts.
“We didn’t play our best today,” Haus said. “It’s just baseball, it happens.”
Despite the loss, Haus boasts a 7-1 record in 12 starts on the season with a 2.85 ERA along with a 8.54 K/9 rate.
The Warriors dug themselves deeper early as they gave up a run in both the second and third inning after their two runs allowed in the first inning, making the score 4-0 after three innings of play and never caught the Huskies.
“You really can’t blame any one individual, it’s a team sport,” catcher Jose Ruiz Jr. said. “We hit balls hard but right at some guys and that’s just the way baseball is sometimes.”
The Warriors recorded nine base hits compared to the five by the Huskies. Cody Wissler and Ruiz (two 2B, RBI) recorded multi-hit games for the Warriors and were joined by Diego Alarcon (RBI), Jordan Folgers, Joseph Borges, Jerry Granillo (RBI) and Spencer Long as Warriors players with hits.
After three scoreless innings in relief by LHP Trevor Talpas, the Warriors failed to reach base more than once in the final three frames as the team fell to a 10-8 record in conference.
The Warriors will look to bounce back against East Los Angeles on the road on Thursday, April 19 with first pitch scheduled for 6:00 p.m. at East Los Angeles College baseball field.
“We’ve got to come out stronger,” Haus said. “Ready to go, ready to win the game.”
