FULL NOTEBOOK WITH STATS AND CCAA STANDINGS

Live Coverage of Baseball: Live Stats

LEADING OFF: The Cal State Monterey Bay baseball team, winners of six of its last nine games, hosts Cal State Dominguez Hills in its final home series. Prior to the Apr. 22 series finale, CSUMB will recognize its five seniors: Danny Nelson, Donny Medlinger, Chris Lopiccolo, Aaron Appino and Jared DeCastro.
 
UP NEXT: After a bye weekend April 27-29, the Otters will wrap-up their 2012 regular season at Sonoma State May 4-6. CSUMB won the 2011 series against the Seawolves, 3-1.
 
SCOUTING CAL STATE DOMINGUEZ HILLS: The Toros (11-25, 7-21 CCAA) lone series split came against Cal State Stanislaus (March 15-16).  CSUDH has fallen 3-1 in five conference series and was swept by Sonoma State this season. Top Performers: shortstop Carlos Avila (.370 BA, 37 H, 3 3B); first baseman Drew Rodela (.343 BA, 46 H, 16 2B, 24 RBIs); center fielder Matthew Young (.333 BA, 11 2B, 22 SB).
 
LAST SERIES RECAP:  In their final split series of 2012, the Otters earned their second series victory against San Francisco State this past weekend.  The Otters opened the series with dramatic fashion on Saturday when junior David Garcia hit a walk-off single to clinch a 6-5 win.  CSUMB followed it up with an 11-1 victory in the second game.  Traveling to San Francisco State on Sunday, the Otters dropped the first game 13-7 before rebounding with an 8-2 win.
 
WITHIN REACH: The Otters are on the hunt for its first CCAA tournament berth in program history.  CSUMB is three games behind Chico State, Sonoma State and Cal Poly Pomona who are in a three-way tie for third place. The top four teams in the CCAA standings at the end of the regular season will compete in the CCAA tournament host by UC San Diego May 10-12.
 
ACHEIVING THE PRIZE:  Since second year Head Coach Walt White has taken the helm, the Otters have set the season win record each year.  CSUMB topped last seasons' 21 wins with an 8-2 victory at San Francisco State on Sunday and improved to 22-20.  With eight games remaining in their regular season schedule, the Otters are four wins away from passing the program's CCAA win record (18).
 
SEASON RECORDS DROPPING...: Senior Donny Medlinger broke the school record for striking out batters looking on Apr. 6, raising his total to 20 for the season and passing Andrew Shive (19, 2007). Junior Harold Zosel brought his program-best save total up to eight on April 7, tossing the final three innings in the 13-6 win against CSULA. Junior Jesse Olson became the CSUMB single season leader at catching base runners attempting to steal on Friday, March 23. Olson threw out his 14th runner when Cal State Stanislaus's Eli Davis attempted to steal second in the first inning. Olson achieved this record after only appearing in 18 games for the Otters.
 
...WITH MORE ON THE HORIZON:  The Otters have a few players on the brink of becoming season record holders. The most likely to make the leap next is senior Danny Nelson with walks (23, record: 24 Shea Davis 2009) and junior Tommy George with stolen bases (19, record: 20 Gabe Chase, 2007). Others to watch: Jason Merjano's doubles (14, record: 20 Danny Nelson 2011); Donny Medlinger's total strike outs (53, record: 60 Grayson Adams 2007); Arron Appino's wins (5, record: 7 Jake Paolinetti, 2011).
 
CCAA HIGH FIVE: Junior Jesse Olson became CSUMB's fifth conference weekly honoree after being selected CCAA Player of the Week Apr.9-15. The catcher batted .692 (9-for-13) with seven runs scored, three doubles, a triple and three RBIs. He also threw out five attempted base runners. Freshman Jeff Owen (Mar 5-11) and senior Aaron Appino (Feb. 13-19) were named Pitcher of the Week while juniors Brian Haggett (Apr. 2-8) and Jason Merjano (Feb. 6-12) was selected Player of the Week honors.
 
DOUBLECIOUS THURSDAY: Playing in winds up to 55 mph, the Otters broke the school record for doubles, tallying seven in the 17-10 victory over Cal State L.A. on Apr. 5.  Danny Nelson led CSUMB with two doubles with Tommy George, Brian Haggett, David Garcia, Jason Merjano and Chris Lopiccolo each acheving one.
 
GEORGE RIDES HIT STREAK: Right fielder Tommy George is riding a 14-game hit streak in which he has watched his average rise to .326 on the season. During this time period, George has collected 23 hits, seven doubles, one triple, 13 runs and eight RBIs.  He has also stolen 10 bases.
 
BURNING HOT IN APRIL: The Otters are hitting .341 in the month of April with Jesse Olson (.483), Chris Blanton (.462) and David Garcia (.419) leading the way by hitting above .400.
 
CROSSING THE PLATE KING: Junior Tommy George has touched home plate a total of 66 times in his three years at CSUMB, ranking him second in the CSUMB career record book.  He is two runs shy of Matt DeJesus's (2007-08) 68.
 
NCAA STATISTICS: Junior Tommy George moved back into the No. 1 spot in the nation after picking up his seventh triple on Saturday, Apr. 14 aginst SF State. With three triples this past weekend Otters raised their total to 15th and are ranked 11th.  Junior Jason Merjano leads the Otters with 14 doubles, putting him 56th in the nation while the team is ranked 27th with 82. Senior Danny Nelson is ranked 6th in the category of toughest to strike out after finishing 22nd last season. On the mound, closer Harold Zosel is 16th in saves with eight on the year.
 
#8 HITS 8TH GRAND SLAM FOR CSUMB:  Junior David Garcia crushed a grand slam, CSUMB's eighth in program history and first on the road, on Monday, Apr. 2 at Cal State East Bay.  Gerald Rommel hit CSUMB's first grand slam on April 16, 2007 against UC San Diego.  Others Otters who have recorded grand slams - Brian Trump (Apr. 28, 2007 vs. Cal Poly Pomona); Steve Mays (Mar. 31, 2009 vs. Academy of Art); Jordan Smeds (Mar. 13, 2010 vs. Cal State L.A.); Jason Okamoto (Mar. 21, 2010 vs. Sonoma State); Randall Packard (Apr. 17, 2011 vs. Cal State East Bay) and current designated hitter Chris Lopiccolo (Apr. 29, 2011 vs. Cal Poly Pomona).

MEDLINGER STRIKES HARD:  Following his worst start of the season at UCSD, Donny Medlinger set a season-high record with 10 strikeouts against Chico State on March 19.  This ranks him second in CSUMB single game record books behind Patrick McClain's 12 strikeouts against SF State on Apr. 24, 2010.
 
RUN TOMMY RUN:  Junior outfielder Tommy George became CSUMB's stolen base career record holder on Feb. 24 against Cal State San Bernardino, passing former leader Matt DeJesus' 26 (2008-09).  He picked up his 42nd stolen base against SF State on Apr. 14.  Last season, he led the Otters with 16 stolen bases in 18 attempts.
 
REGIONAL ACCOLADES: Freshman right-hander Jeff Owen was named the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association West Region Pitcher of the Week for his stellar one-hit complete game effort at UC San Diego on Mar. 10. This is the second time an Otter pitcher has garnered this award as senior right-hander Aaron Appino earned CSUMB's first regional honor this season on Feb. 22.
 
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), C Garrett Gemgnani (Los Angeles, Calif./Culver City HS) and OF Devin Finn (Pleasanton, Calif./Amador Valley HS) will be playing for the newly formed Myrtle Beach Collegiate Summer Baseball League in South Carolina.