BOX SCORE CHICO STATE, Calif. – The seventh inning proved costly for the Cal State Monterey Bay baseball team as the Otters dropped a 7-3 decision No. 4 Chico State in the series finale to Tuesday at Nettleton Stadium. The Otters won the first two games of the series to earn a split, their second of the season.
CSUMB fell to 15-11 overall and 8-8 in conference action while the Wildcats moved up to 19-7, 9-7 CCAA play.
With two outs in the bottom of the seventh in the book, Chico State's Blake Gibbs hit a 2 RBI double to left center to break open the 3-3 tie. Pinch hitter Pierson Jeremiah's single through the left side scored Gibbs to make it 6-3.
Ben Manlove's RBI double in the eighth added an insurance run as Chico State earned the 7-3 victory and took the series win away from the Otters.
The Otters wasted no time getting on the board, scoring two runs in their first at-bat. The first three Otter batters,
Danny Nelson (Morgan Hill, Calif./San Jose CC), Jared DeCastro (Torrance, Calif./LA Harbor College) and
Brian Haggett (Hollister, Calif./Sacramento State), each reached on singles. Junior
Jason Merjano singled up the middle to bring Nelson and DeCastro home.
Chico State evened it at two runs apiece in the bottom of the third on three consecutive singles.
CSUMB retook the lead in the fifth on Haggett's single through the left side that scored Nelson.
The Wildcats responded with a run in their side of the frame, scoring on Dempsey's single to right field to knot it at 3-3.
Nelson led CSUMB's offense, going 3-for-4 with two runs and a walk. Junior
David Garcia (Gilroy, Calif./Mission College) and Haggett each registered two hits apiece.
In his first appearance as a starter, junior
Jake Paolinetti (Santa Clara, Calif./San Jose CC) went five innings, giving up three earned runs and six hits. Freshman
Chris Neifert (Scappose, Ore./Scappose HS) took the loss after 1 2/3 innings.
Chico State's Austin Alva picked up the win after only facing one batter in the seventh inning.
CSUMB's next series is against Cal State Stanislaus this weekend. The Otters travel to Turlock for single nine-inning games on Friday, Mar. 23 (3 p.m.) and Sunday, Mar. 25 (11 a.m.). On Saturday, Mar. 24, CSUMB welcomes the Warriors for a doubleheader outing that begins at 11 a.m.
