SEASIDE, Calif. -- The No. 6 ranked Cal State Monterey Bay softball team will look to protect its highest–ever national ranking while concluding its current 12–game homestand with a four–game set against Humboldt State Saturday and Sunday at the Otter Sports Complex.

CSUMB (18–4, 10–2 CCAA) enters the weekend on game ahead of No. 9 Chico State (9–3) and just one game behind in the loss column to No. 5 Cal State Dominguez Hills (9–3). Dominguez plays No. 22 UC San Diego this weekend while Chico plays No. 23 Sonoma State, so don't be surprised to see some movement in the standings as the CCAA's five nationally ranked teams via for position in as the conference race nears the midway point.

The Otters continue pitch and hit with authority. Offensively, the rank No. 2 in the conference in team ranking No. 1 in the CCAA in slugging percentage (.524) and No. 2 in both batting average (.343) and runs scored (152). In the circle, they rank No. 2 in wins (18) and No. 3 in ERA (2.04).

Individually, freshman P/2B Cori Reinhardt (Riverside Poly HS) leads the team ion both phases. At the plate, she leads the conference in on base percentage (.583) and is No. 2 in batting average (.500). In the circle, she is 9–1 with a 1.64 ERA.

Reinhardt remains far from a one woman wrecking crew, however, as several Otters are making their marks on the conference leaderboards. Freshman 1B Nina Villanueva (San Diego/Mt. Carmel HS) is No. 5 in the CCAA with a .450 average while senior CF Jamie Moon (Torrance HS) checks in at No. 8 (.424). Senior SS Jackie Serna (Corona HS) is just three one–thousandths off the conference lead with a slugging percentage of .846.

In the circle, sophomore Kylie Linnane (Salinas/Notre Dame HS) ranks No. 2 in the CCAA with a 1.34 ERA.

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Otter Softball Odds & Ends


HANGING 10: The Otters pushed their school record winning streak to 10 games last week before Cal State East Bay put the kibosh on it Sunday in the series finale. They bested the mark of eight consecutive wins set twice previously (last from Feb. 5–20, 2010).

HAVE MERCY: The Otters won two more games via the 8–run rule last weekend vs. San Bernardino, marking the fourth and fifth times this season they've done that—already tied for the third most in a season in school history. The 2009 and 2010 Otters each posted 10 run–rule wins.

BEST…START…EVER: At 18–4, the Otters are off to their best start ever. Their previous best start after 22 games was 15–7 by the 2010 Otters.

HIGHEST…RANKING…EVER: CSUMB climbed to No. 6 in this week's NFCA NCAA Division II poll, its highest ranking ever. Prior to this season, the Otters had never been ranked higher than No. 17 (2010).

TRIPLE THE FUN: Cori Reinhardt enters the week tied for the NCAA lead with four triples. That gives the Otters the NCAA triples leaders in both softball and baseball (Tommy George, 5). Reinhardt is one of many Otters ranked among the national leaders. Check out the complete list here.