BOX SCORE ST. GEORGE, Utah – Seven was not the lucky number for the top-seeded Cal State Monterey Bay baseball team in its first NCAA Tournament game. The Otters committed seven errors while giving up seven runs in the fifth to fall 14-3 to sixth seeded Chico State.
 
The Otters (38-16) next face the loser of Sonoma State-Cal State L.A. at 11 a.m. MST (10 a.m. PST) in the tournament's first elimination game.
 
CSUMB entered today's game with a 30-5 record  when scoring first. The Otters accomplished just that after senior Victor Rasor-Thompson (San Diego/Univ. of San Diego) reached on a leadoff Wildcat error and scored on a Brian Haggett (Hollister/West Valley College) groundout.
 
After three consecutive singles to begin the third inning, Chico State's Pierson Jeremiah hit a grand slam over the left center wall to put the Wildcats in the lead 4-1.
 
CSUMB cut the Wildcat lead to 4-2 on a sacrifice fly by senior Ronnie Fhurong (Hollister/San Benito HS) after senior Tommy George began the inning with a bunt single in the third.
 
Chico State pushed across seven runs on five hits and two CSUMB errors in the fifth, capping it with a RBI double by Ryne Clark.
 
After the Wildcats spread out three runs in the final two innings, junior Travis Bonner (Los Gatos/West Valley College) hit an RBI line drive to center field.
 
Starting pitcher Will Anderson (Pleasanton/Fresno State) gave up a season-high nine earned runs in his four and one-third innings of work for the loss.   Chico State's Nick Baker improved to 8-3 after his seven innings, relinquishing only two hits and one earned run.