SEASIDE, Calif. – The No. 8-ranked Cal State Monterey Bay baseball team opened its four-game series with a 3-1 loss to Northwest Nazarene, Thursday afternoon at the Otter Sports Complex.

Northwest Nazarene drew first blood in the top of the second inning when Adrian Arechiga launched a solo home run to left field, giving the Nighthawks an early 1-0 lead after a scoreless first.

NNU added to its advantage in the fifth when Caleb Boswell followed with his own homer, making it 2-0 as both teams' pitchers settled into a rhythm for much of the contest.

The CSUMB offense finally cracked the scoreboard in the bottom of the fifth. With runners on base, Xander Sielken delivered a clutch RBI single to right field, scoring Kyle Olimpia and igniting a spark in the Otter lineup.

The Nighthawks answered in the top of the ninth, as Boswell added an RBI on a sacrifice fly that scored Kaleb Karpstein, extending the lead to 3-1.

The Otters' pitching staff, led by starter Daniel Flores, kept CSUMB in the game with five solid innings, surrendering the two runs on six hits, while striking out five. Relievers David Delgadillo and Daniel Paul each provided quality work out of the bullpen, helping slow the Nighthawk attack and keep the game within reach.

Offensively, Monterey Bay was paced by Sielken's three-hit day, while Conner Smith added two hits and a walk.

The two teams will meet for a doubleheader tomorrow. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 11 a.m.