Coach White on Sonoma State series sweep: “It is very difficult to win a game in our conference, let alone sweep a team like Sonoma State. I couldn't be more proud of the way we competed this weekend. Our whole roster contributed. We played with a lot of energy and we stayed focused throughout the series.”
 
    Coach White looking at the rest of the season: “We still have a lot of baseball to play and a lot to prove, but we have put ourselves in a great position for the stretch run. We will get back to practice this week and prepare for Cal State San Bernardino in another difficult road test.” 

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LEADING OFF: The Otters will play their final four-game road series at Cal State San Bernardino beginning Friday, April 12 at 3 p.m. They'll play a doubleheader Saturday at 11 a.m. and a single game Sunday at 11 a.m.
 
SCOUTING CAL STATE SAN BERNARDINO: The Coyotes are on a eight-game losing streak after being swept by the top two teams in the CCAA standings (Chico State & Cal State L.A.).  In those eight games, CSUSB scored just 10 runs while giving up 59.  The Coyotes five conference wins came against Sonoma State (2), Cal Poly Pomona (2) and Cal State Dominguez Hills.  Players to Watch: freshman shortstop Christian Gomez (.319 BA, 23 H, 8 BB), senior outfielder Remington Miller (.327 BA, 37 H, 17 R, 17 RBI), junior RHP James Trebus (2-4, 3.47 ERA, 23.1 IP, 19 K).
 
LAST MEETING WITH THE COYOTES: The Otter-Coyote four-game match-up was CSUMB's first CCAA series victory in the program's young history. It was capped by a 7-6, 16-inning marathon series finale that had then-senior Jared DeCastro (Torrance/L.A. Harbor College) beating out a potential double-play ball as the winning run crossed the plate. The Otters won the opener 5-3 and split the doubleheader winning 2-0 and before falling 4-11. David Garcia (Gilroy/Mission College) went 6-for-14 (.429) with two runs and three RBIs while Brian Haggett (Hollister, Calif./West Valley College) registered a .421 (8-for-19) batting average with two runs and a RBI.
 
CCAA STANDINGS BREAKDOWN: The Otters (16-8 CCAA) enter the weekend in third place in the conference standings, four games behind leader Chico State and only two games back on Cal State L.A. The Pioneers of Cal State East Bay sit in the fourth spot with a 14-10 record.  There are four series (16 games) remaining in the regular season, the top four teams will advance to the CCAA Tournament held in Stockton on at Banner Island Ballpark.
 
PREVIOUS TIME OUT: The Otters clinched their first CCAA series sweep in program history, taking four from No. 23 Sonoma State last weekend.  A four-run seventh inning launched the Otters to a 5-3 series opener win.  A Tommy George (Elk Grove HS) walk-off double and another gem by Jeff Owen (Clovis East HS) led the Otters to a twinbill sweep on Saturday. Junior A.J. Quintero (Vacaville/Sacramento City College) earned his a CCAA leading sixth save after tossing four shutout innings to clinch an 11-4 series finale victory.  George batted a team-best .462 (6-for-13) with three double, three runs and four RBIs.  Senior Ronnie Fhurong (Hollister, Calif./San Benito HS) continued produce, going 5-for-13 (.384) with six RBIs and two runs.
 
COLLEGIATE BASEBALL POLL:  The Otters are back in the College Baseball Newspaper Division II Top 30 (released April 8), reclaiming their previous spot of No. 21. CSUMB received 150 votes in the latest poll and is one of three West Region programs (all CCAA schools) ranked in the top 30.  Chico State leads with a No. 3 ranking and Cal State L.A. dropped to No. 24. 
 
OTHER NATIONAL POLLS:  CSUMB is also featured in three other national polls this week. The D2Baseball.com poll is CSUMB's highest ranking of the week at No. 19.  The Otters are ranked No. 20 in the College Baseball Lineup and No. 22 in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) rankings. 
 
2013 NCBWA REGIONAL RANKING:  The Otters (24-10) are No. 3 in the latest NCBWA West Regional poll this week. Chico State (23-5) continues to lead the Top 10 for the eighth consecutive week, followed by No. 2 Grand Canyon (26-5). After the Otters is No. 4 Sonoma State (21-9), No. 5 Cal State East Bay (24-10), No. 6 Dixie State (20-8), No. 7 Cal State L.A. (21-13), No. 8 Cal Baptist (21-9), No. 9 Hawaii Pacific 20-14 and No. 10 Cal Poly Pomona 18-15.
 
CCAA STATISTICS:  Senior RHP Jeff Owen is tied for second with Cal State East Bay's Michael Pope in wins with seven.  He ranks second behind leader Harmen Sidhu with 60 strikeouts and 10.00 strikeouts per nine innings (seven or more starts).  Among the ERA leaders with six or more starts, Owen ranks fifth with a ERA of 1.50 and Will Anderson (Pleasanton/Fresno State) is seventh with 2.14 ERA.
 
RECORDS ARE MADE TO BE BROKEN:  Senior Tommy George became CSUMB's all-time career hit leader (155) during the CSULA series, passing Jacob Flores (2007-10) in the record books. He added most game started (138) and games played (161) during the Chico State series. With 69 RBIs, George now has his sights set on passing Matt DeJesus's record of 79. George already has three other career records; stolen bases (51), triples (18) and runs scored (88).  Senior Ronnie Fhurong is also making his way up the RBI career record ladder with 67 (4th). 
 
RECORDS ARE MADE TO BE BROKEN II:  With his win on March 16 against Western Oregon, sophomore RHP Jeff Owen became the career record holder with 10 wins. He has since raised it to 11 wins with his 1-0 shutout against No. 23 Sonoma State (April 6). Aaron Appino (Rancho Cordova, Calif./Sacramento City College) and Jake Paolinetti (Santa Clara, Calif./San Jose City College) previously shared the record (9) and accomplished it during the 2011-12 season. 
 
HISTORIC SERIES SWEEP:  The Otters achieved their first ever series sweep at Point Loma Nazarene to open the 2013 season (Feb. 1-2).  Senior third baseman David Garcia broke open a 3-3 tie in the ninth inning on a grand slam leading to a 7-3 CSUMB victory.  Never trailing in the entire series, CSUMB added two more victories on Saturday with final scores of 6-1 and 8-5.
 
GARCIA EARNS WEEKLY HONORS: Game-winning, ninth-inning grand slam – check. A 4-for-4 performance on Saturday with a double and a solo home run – check.  Rawlings/CCAA Baseball Player of the Week – check.  This checklist can be found on Cal State Monterey Bay senior third baseman's David Garcia locker for the week of Jan. 28-Feb. 3. In the season opener on Feb. 1, the game was tied 3-3 in the top of the ninth inning and Garcia came up big with game-winning grand slam. Garcia led the Otters in Saturday's nightcap, going 4-for-4 with a solo home run and a double to clinch the program's first series sweep.
 
MR. MARCH:  With Reggie Jackson claiming the Mr. October nickname, senior Will Anderson is CSUMB's Mr. March.  He had a lights-out month by going 4-0 with a 0.90 ERA that consisted of 30 innings of work, giving up only three runs and 14 hits.  He racked up 24 striekouts while walking only seven batters.
 
2012 ALL-CCAA HONORS:  A program record-high four Otters were selected to the All-California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) teams in 2012. Second baseman David Garcia and right-hander Jeff Owen were named to the second team while shortstop Jason Merjano (San Ramon/Sierra College) and right-fielder Tommy George earned honorable mention nods.
 
2012 POST SEASON HONORS:  Four Otters earned All-West Region honors in 2012.  Senior second baseman David Garcia and sophomore right-handed pitcher Jeff Owen were selected to the Daktronics All-West Region second team.  Owen joined senior shortstop Jason Merjano on the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) honorable mention team. Garcia also got selected to the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) first team. Owen was also named the 2012 National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) West Region Freshman Pitcher of the Year after finishing his rookie campaign with a 2.18 ERA.  First baseman Brian Haggett earned the program's first-ever American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA)/Rawlings All-West Region Gold Glove award for his near spotless play in the field.
 
BY THE NUMBERS:  The 2012 squad under the direction of then second-year coach Walt White achieved new heights in its second consecutive record-breaking season:

• Most Wins - 26 (21, 2011)
• Most Conference Wins - 19 (18, 2011)
• Most Triples - 17 (11, 2010/2007/2006)
• Lowest Opponent Batting Average - .267 (.269, 2011)
• Lowest ERA - 4.01 (4.68, 2011)
• Fewest Earned Runs Allowed - 189 (216, 2011)
• Fewest Runs Allowed - 244 (273, 2011)
• Fewest Doubles Allowed - 69 (92, 2011)
• Highest Fielding Percentage - .964 (.962, 2011)
• Most Caught Stealing - 36 (29, 2009)
• Fewest Stolen Bases Allowed - 52 (71, 2008)
• Most Strikeouts/9 inning games - 6.18 (5.76, 2007)

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