FULL NOTEBOOK WITH STATS AND CCAA STANDINGS

SEASIDE, Calif. - CSUMB fresh off a series win over Westmont and a split at Fresno Pacific, will return home for a four-game series against west regional opponent Central Washington before heading south to begin CCAA action at Cal Poly Pomona Feb. 17-19. 
 
SCOUTING CENTRAL WASHINGTON: The Wildcats open 2012 with six games in five days on the road, beginning with a stop at San Francisco State on Wednesday, Feb. 8. After traveling to Cal State Stanislaus the next day, Central Washington will come to Seaside to face the Otters in a four-game series.  In 2011, the Wildcats finished with a 14-32 overall record and 7-25 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference. Top Returners:
 
SPLIT AT FRESNO: After dropping the doubleheader opener 6-3 to the Sunbirds, CSUMB rebounded with a 5-2 victory behind an outstanding pitching performance by Steven Farnworth (Newhall, Calif./West Ranch HS) who threw 4.0 hitless innings and racked up eight strikeouts. The Otters tallied four runs in the sixth inning to propel past Fresno Pacific and earn the split.
 
LAST WEEKEND RECAP: The Otters won their opening series for the first time ever, winning two of three against Westmont (W 4-3, L 4-6, W 16-4).  Senior Aaron Appino (Rancho Cordova, Calif./Sacramento CC) earned the win in the opener after throwing five shutout innings and Harold Zosel (Pleasanton, Calif./San Jose CC) picked up the save. On Saturday, Westmont evened the series despite a late two-run rally by the Otters in the final inning.  In the nightcap, the Otters turned up the heat with 11 hits and six extra base hits.
 
IT'S DEEP, IT'S DEEP, IT'S GONE:  In the opening series, Matt Urakami (San Jose, Calif./Branham HS), David Garcia (Gilroy, Calif./Mission College) and Jeff Phillips (Fresno, Calif./Fresno CC) each sent balls over the left field wall for solo home runs.  The Otters finished the 2011 regular season with only eight home runs. 
 
RUN TOMMY RUN:  Junior outfielder Tommy George (Elk Grove, Calif./Elk Grove) is three stolen bases shy of passing leader Matt DeJesus's 26 he acquired in 2008 and 2009.  George picked up his 24th in Saturday's 16-4 victory over Westmont.  Last season, he led the Otters with 16 stolen bases in 18 attempts.
 
PRESEASON HONORS:  Senior Jared DeCastro (Torrance, Calif./LA Harbor) raised the bar by being CSUMB's first National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Preseason All-American. DeCastro was also named to the NCBWA Preseason All-West Region first team along with senior Danny Nelson (Morgan Hill, Calif./San Jose CC).
 
OTTERS HIT IN CLASSROOM:  While preparing for their spring season, the Otters have already proved they can balance the art of practice and performing in the classroom this past fall.  The CSUMB baseball team led all men's programs with a 3.08 grade point average during the fall semester.  Juniors David Garcia (Gilroy, Calif./Mission College) and Brian Haggett (Hollister, Calif./West Valley CC) were among the 11 student-athletes to record a perfect 4.0. 
 
REGIONAL HONORS:  Senior Danny Nelson (Morgan Hill, Calif./San Jose CC), who is making the move from second baseman to outfield this season, picked up three regional honors in 2011.  His accolades were Daktronics All-West Region, National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association All-West Region and ABCA All-West Region.  Senior OF Jared DeCastro (Torrance, Calif./L.A. Harbor) was also named to the Daktronics All-West Region team. Gerry Rommel and Brian Trump are the only other Otters in program history to have been selected to any all-west region team (NCBWA in 2007).
 
NELSON SUMMER HIGHLIGHTS:  This past summer, Danny Nelson (Morgan Hill, Calif./San Jose CC) had a standout season with the Cooperstown Hawkeyes of the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League (PGCBL), leading his team in runs (36), doubles (11) and slugging percentage (.503).  Nelson was named to the All-PGCBL team and appeared in the All-Star game in July.
 
2011 CCAA WEEKLY HONORS:  The Otters swept the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) weekly honors for the week of March 14-20.   RHP Aaron Appino (Rancho Cordova, Calif./Sacramento CC) garnered the Wilson/CCAA Pitcher of the Week honor and Danny Nelson (Morgan Hill, Calif./San Jose CC) was named Wilson/CCAA Player of the Week.
 
NATIONAL STATISTIC RUNNER-UP:  The Otters concluded their 2011 campaign second in the nation in double-plays per game, averaging 1.18 per game.  CSUMB was leading the nation at the end of the regular season only to see Southwestern Oklahoma make it to post season and eventually pass the Otters with an average of 1.2 per game. The Otters also finished third in the nation in total double plays with 58 (Southwestern Oklahoma had 61).
 
LOCALS REPRESENTING:  With the Otter relying heavily on local talent, seven student-athletes from the Monterey and San Benito counties will be donning Otter uniforms this year. First baseman Chris Lopiccolo (Marina, Calif/Monterey HS), shortstop Ronnie Fhurong (Hollister, Calif./San Benito HS) and relief pitcher David Holland (Salinas, Calif./Salinas HS) return for another season. Fresh out of high school, catcher Jesse White (Salinas, Calif./Salinas HS) and utility Ty Morris (Royal Oaks, Calif./North Monterey HS) join junior college transfers David Garcia (Gilroy, Calif./Valley Christian HS) and Brian Haggett (Hollister, Calif./San Benito HS) as the new faces from the area.
 
RECORDS ARE MADE TO BE BROKEN:  The 2011 squad under the direction of first-year coach Walt White made a huge impact the CSUMB record books.
Lowest Opponent Batting Average - .269 (.332, 2007)
Most Saves - 9 (6, 2008)
Most Complete Games - 8 (6, 2009/06)
Lowest ERA - 4.68 (7.47, 2007)
Fewest Earned Runs Allowed - 216 (312, 2007)
Fewest Hits Allowed - 426 (522, 2007)
Most Wins - 21 (19, 2007)
Most Conference Wins - 18 (11, 2007)
Fewest Home Runs Allowed - 24 (38, 2007)
Highest Fielding Percentage - .962 (.959, 2007)
Most Assists - 607 (521, 2006)
Fewest Passed Balls - 13 (15, 2010)
Most Double Plays Turned - 58 (47, 2009) - 2nd in the nation
 
SUMMER BALL:  This summer, seven Otters will be playing ball all over the United States Ty Morris (Castroville, Calif./North Monterey County HS), Matt Urakami (San Jose, Calif./Branham HS) and Chris Blanton (Burlingame, Calif./Burlingame HS) will be for the Cooperstown, New York for the Hawkeyes of the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League (PGCBL). 2B David Garcia (Gilroy, Calif./Mission College) is heading to Minnesota to play for the Alexandria Beetles of the prestigious Northwoods League. OF Tommy George (Elk Grove, Calif./Elk Grove HS), RHP Jake Paolinetti (Santa Clara, Calif./Wilcox HS) and OF Devin Finn (Pleasanton, Calif./Amador Valley HS) will be playing for the newly formed Myrtle Beach Collegiate Summer Baseball League.