April 30, 2009

Box Score

STOCKTON, Calif. — The Cal State Monterey Bay softball team used a four-run fifth inning to turn a tie game into a 7-3 victory as the Otters defeated UC San Diego in game two of the 2009 California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Softball Championship tournament at Arnaiz Stadium.

The No. 2 seeded Otters improved to 35-25-1 overall and will play Sonoma State in a winner's bracket game Friday morning at 9 a.m. UC San Diego (27-23) squares off with No. 1 seed Humboldt State Friday, also at 9 a.m. Game five is schedule to start at approximately 11:30 a.m.

Friday's game start times were moved up due to the impending rain that is due to the area in the afternoon.

In Thursday's nightcap, the Otters jumped out on top with a 2-0 lead on a double by senior third baseman #Ashlee Trotter# in the first. After the Tritons score their first run of the game in the first inning on a CSUMB error, the Otters added another run in the fourth senior right fielder #Jennifer Montez#'s RBI single up the middle to take a 3-1.

UC San Diego evened the score in the fifth. With one out, the Tritons singled and doubled to start the rally. Katrin Gabriel, who had the single, moved around the bases and eventually scored on a passed ball. Kristyn Lesovsky scored the tying run on a Jenni Habib single through the right side.

In the Monterey Bay fifth, the Otters pushed through four runs on five hits and a Triton error. With runners on first and second and one out, junior center fielder #Lucia Rodriguez# singled to drive in the go-ahead run scored by pinch runner #Arlene Costa#. With two outs, three singles and a walk resulted in three more CSUMB runs.

"The team played great defense with clutch plays," said Otter head coach Andrea Kenney. "We came through in the fifth inning and strung some hits together."

Trotter led CSUMB with a 2-for-4, two RBI game including her 12th double of the year. Rodriguez went 2-for-4 and scored twice. Montez and freshman first baseman #Jamie Moon# each also had two hits as part of the Monterey Bay 11-hit performance. Senior #Michelle Tating# picked up the win in the circle allowing just two hits in 2 2/3 innings of relief.