CLAREMONT, California – The reigning West Region Freshman of the year began his sophomore campaign by going 2-for-3 with a home run, but the Puget Sound baseball team lost its season opener at Pomona-Pitzer, 14-4, Friday afternoon.

Puget Sound second baseman Kyle Strash was an All-Northwest Conference First Team selection, NWC Freshman of the Year, and D3baseball.com West Region Rookie of the Year in 2018. He began 2019 right where he left off.

Strash's second at bad of the game was a solo home run to open the fourth inning, but the Sagehens (1-0) still held a 4-1 lead.

The Loggers also put up one run in each the fourth, fifth, and ninth innings. Tyler Brazelton also went 2-for-3 for Puget Sound, and he crossed home plate following an RBI fielder's choice hit by Jack Gries in the fifth inning.

Nine different Loggers knocked a base hit as Puget Sound matched Pomona-Pitzer's 11 hits for the game.

Puget Sound remains in California for a doubleheader at Occidental Saturday, Feb. 9, starting at 11 a.m.