Lassen College's baseball team improved to 4-4 by winning two of three games at last weekend's Diablo Valley Tournament in Pleasant Hill. The Cougars opened the tournament with a 7-2 win over Canada and followed by posting a 7-3 victory over Napa Valley.

The next day, Lassen fell to Diablo Valley 7-6 and had its second game against DVC rained out.

"We played real well in the first two games, but got poor pitching in the last two," Lassen head coach Glen Yonan said. "Overall, we're improving with every game."

Against Canada, The Cougars banged out 11 hits. Derek Neuenschwander, Dayton Hendricks and Chuck Shine had two hits.

Dan Brian picked up the win in his first-ever start at Lassen. He threw consistently in the 90s en route to striking out seven. P.J. Kurpinsky fanned four in 2-1/3 innings of relief and Brian Barreto got the save.

Napa committed six errors, helping Matt Christensen to his second win. Lane Wagner went 3-for-5.

Lassen scored three times in the second inning against Diablo Valley, but struggled the rest of the way compiling only five hits.

Victor Block absorbed the loss.

"We didn't play well, but poor umpiring really hurt us. It was a hometown type of thing," said Yonan, who's team entered the season unranked in preseason polls for the first time in the 1990s despite winning the Golden Valley Conference crown last season.

Lassen heads to the Modesto Tournament this weekend for four games before opening conference play against College of the Redwoods at home Friday-Saturday, March 2-3 at Memorial Park in Susanville.

Friday's doubleheader starts and Saturday's game starts at noon.