With six errors committed in their last series, it’s back to the basics for Cougar baseball as they host Northeastern University for a four-game series beginning Today.

WSU (4-8) Head Coach Marty Lees worked with sophomore infielder Jack Strunc on fielding drills at second base in an effort to get back to the fundamentals. Strunc, who has two of the Cougars’ 16 errors this season, highlighted short stop and second base as key areas to improve on fielding.

“Yeah we’re sharpening up the fundamentals because it’s our middle infield that really needs to sharpen up,” Strunc said. “Because it’s cost us a few games now. It’s just about clearing your mind and not really thinking too much about it. It’s baseball – you have to play; you’ve been doing it for your whole life so you can’t too much about it.”

The 16 errors have resulted in WSU allowing 14 unearned runs over 104 innings pitched to begin the season. Lees has stressed that while parts of the team have shown improvements, there is still more room to raise the quality of the team.

However, one problem Lees is not concerned with is his teams’ determination and attitude toward turning the season around.

“If there was no effort and the attitude wasn’t where we want it, I would have some real concerns,” Lees said during his Wednesday press conference. “But because I believe that there is a consistent effort and pride and consistent behavior in our practices and things, I feel like there is real hope. Because they are invested – they are working hard and If we get a couple things to go in the right direction and get some consistency, I know that we will be a great team.”

Junior right-hander Ian Hamilton (0-3) will take the hill for the Cougars to open the series on Thursday night. Huskies (6-5) junior right-hander Aaron Civale (3-0) will oppose Hamilton with the two juniors having opposite starts to their respective seasons. Civale has thrown at least seven innings in each of his three outings this season while allowing only four combined runs.

Freshman right-hander Ryan Ward (1-0) will start for WSU on Friday with freshman right-hander Parker McFadden (1-0) starting Saturday. Lees has left Sunday’s starter open but Ward is feeling confident in his abilities, along with the rest of the starting staff.

“I like to think I’m a spiritual leader on the mound,” Ward said. “Just everyone feeds off my energy and I feel like that’s true for any pitcher but me especially. I just try to keep the pace up and keep everyone involved and hopefully everyone keeps their pace up too.”

First pitch between the Cougars and Huskies is set for 4 p.m. Thursday at Bailey-Brayton Field. The final three start times for the series will be 4 p.m. on Friday, 2 p.m. on Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday. Live stats will be provided on WSUCougars.com and on Twitter @Cougbaseball.

Reporting by Lars Hanson