Coach White on building on this season: "Every season and every team is different.  This team may receive some recognition based on our accomplishments last year, but this team is looking forward to creating its own identity.  Our team understands that the bar has been set very high in terms of what is expected from our program and we have prepared all fall and winter to be the best club we can possibly be. We have high expectations; we have a talented roster and we are looking forward to another challenging season."


  Coach White on this year's depth: "This team has depth at every position, more so than any year prior.  We have many interchangeable parts when it comes to our position players and it will allow us to be more flexible with our lineup.  Our pitching staff is also deeper than the past. We return a number of key contributors to our staff and we were able to add some very good arms that should make immediate contributions.  We understand how difficult the CCAA can be and it will be a challenge to equal the success of 2013.  But we believe in our preparation, we believe and care about each other and our attitude is always to welcome a challenge and face it head on.  This upcoming weekend vs. Western Oregon will be a huge early test for our club and we are looking forward to it." 


Coach White on Western Oregon: "The series versus Western Oregon will be a great test for us as they are typically good every year.  They are consistently in the hunt for a playoff spot in the west region.  Even though this is the opening series to the 2014 season, it holds significant west region ranking implications.  I believe Western Oregon will be every bit our equal and we will need to play well throughout the series.  I know that they will be ready to play because they are coached well and have outstanding players. This should be an outstanding series that will help prepare us for a rigorous conference schedule." 

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LEADING OFF: The Otters open their 2014 regular season at home, hosting the Wolves of Western Oregon.  The series begins on Saturday, Feb. 1 at 11 a.m. with a doubleheader at the Otter Sports Complex. They'll play a single game on Super Bowl Sunday at 10 a.m. and close out the series with a single game on Monday at 2 p.m. 

SCOUTING WESTERN OREGON: With 12-consecutive Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) baseball titles in its wake, Western Oregon has once again been favored to win the conference title in 2014. The Wolves finished the 2013 season with a 30-24 overall mark. Players to Watch: 2013 GNAC Newcomer of the Year Spenser Watkins (8-6, .319 ERA, 88 K); and senior DH Daniel McNabb (.376 BA, 64 H, 35 RBIs)

LAST MEETING WITH THE WOLVES: The Otters entered the series with their claws out in the series opener with a 20-3 victory over WOU on March 15, 2013, scoring in every inning including four runs in the first. The Saturday doubleheader featured a 5-2 win before starter Jeff Owen (Clovis/Clovis East HS) took the mound for the second shared shutout with closer A.J. Quintero (Vacaville/Sacramento CC) earn a 1-0 win. 

LAST TIME OUT: The Otters saw their Cinderella season come to an end at the NCAA West Regional in St. George, Utah, falling 4-1 to Sonoma State after earning the program's first ever NCAA postseason victory in a 8-1 decision over Cal State L.A.  Returning starting pitcher Jeff Owen (Clovis East HS) earned the win against the Golden Eagles, tossing a complete 3-hit, 1-run game.  

RECORD SETTING OUTING VERSUS WOLVES: The Otters set a school record for margin of victory (17 runs) in the series opener against Western Oregon last season with a 20-3 pounding at the Otter Sports Complex.  Previous record came on senior day in 2007 against Cal Poly Pomona.  The Otters matched the 20 runs and 24 hits program record set that day as well. 

BATTLE OF THE 2013 COACHES OF THE YEAR: This weekend series will feature a faceoff between the 2013 CCAA & GNAC Coaches of the Year.  In his third season, CSUMB Head Coach Walt White after leading the Otters to the program's first ever CCAA regular season title.  WOU's Head Coach Kellen Walker has guided the Wolves to eight of their 12 consecutive and finished five games ahead of second place Central Washington. 

COLLEGIATE BASEBALL POLL, 2013 EDITION:  In 2013, the Otters earned a Top 10 ranking by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Division II Poll (April 29) with a No. 8 ranking. CSUMB ended the season with a No. 19 ranking. 

COLLEGIATE BASEBALL POLL, 2014 EDITION:  The Otters rank 18th in the 2014 Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Division II Preseason Poll, the program's highest preseason ranking in history. With a No. 12 ranking, Chico State is the only CCAA school ranked above CSUMB. Cal Poly Pomona (No. 37) and UC San Diego (No. 39) are the other two CCAA schools featured.  Western Oregon rounds out the rankings at No. 40. 

OTHER NATIONAL POLLS:  CSUMB is also featured in three other preseason national polls. The highest ranking for the Otters is No. 14 in the National College Baseball Writer's Association (NCBWA). The College Baseball Lineup poll puts CSUMB at No. 29 while D2Baseball.com does not feature the Otters...yet. 

MAKING AN IMPRESSION:  The Otters (39-17) made not only their NCAA West Regional poll debut in 2013 but claimed its first No. 1 ranking in program history. CSUMB entered its inaugural West Region Tournament in the top spot, earning an 8-1 victory over Cal State L.A. before being knocked out by Sonoma State (4-1). 

SECOND ISN'T BAD:  The Otters were picked second by the league coaches in the CCAA preseason poll despite receiving five first-place votes.  Chico State, with only one first-place vote,  was deemed the favorite.  CSUMB and Chico State had equal number of votes to win the CCAA Championship Tournament which will be played in Stockton May 8-11. 

CCAA STATISTICS:  Junior RHP Jeff Owen concluded his sophomore campaign on top of the CCAA standings with 12 wins, capping it with a complete nine inning performance to lead CSUMB to its first West Regional victory (8-1 win over Cal State L.A.). He also had a conference leading 98 strikeouts while draft pick Will Anderson finished two spots behind with 86 Ks. Otter closer A.J. Quintero also finished on top of the CCAA statistics with 10 saves. 
Junior Mark Hurley has the fifth-best batting average in the league at .345 and also ranked fourth with 69 hits. 

NCAA STATISTICS: Jeff Owen also made a mark in the final NCAA Division II statistics (6/2/13) by appearing in three Top 20 categories: wins (5th, 12), strikeouts (13th, 98) and hits allowed per 9 innings (16th, 6.29). A.J. Quintero finished 12th in the nation with his 10 saves. 

RECORDS ARE MADE TO BE BROKEN:  Tommy George (Elk Grove HS) ended his CSUMB four-year career as the all-time career hit leader (177) . He also ranks first in game started (160), games played (183), at bats (598), runs scored (100), triples (18) and stolen bases (55).    Senior Ronnie Fhurong (Hollister/San Benito HS) is also making his way up the RBI career record ladder with 73 (3RD).  

RECORDS ARE MADE TO BE BROKEN II:  RHP Jeff Owen passed Grayson Adams (2007) as the CSUMB single season leader in strikeouts with 98. Owen also clinched the top spot in the CSUMB record books this season with most wins in a single season (12) and career (16).  Junior A.J. Quintero (Vacaville/Sacramento CC) became the single season and career record leader with 10 saves, passing Harold Zosel's eight in 2012. 

FIVE SERIES SWEEPS IN 2013:  The Otters achieved their first series sweep of 2013 at Point Loma Nazarene to open the season (Feb. 1-2) with scores of 7-3, 6-1 and 8-5.  CSUMB has swept four of its last six series that included GNAC's Western Oregon, No. 23 Sonoma State (April 5-7), Cal Poly Pomona (April 19-21) and Cal State Stanislaus (April 26-28). The Otters outscored the three CCAA schools by a combined score of 88-33.  

BREAKING UP THE NUMBERS: In Head Coach Walt White's three years at the helm, the Otters have an 18-8 overall record against nonconference opponents including an 8-2 record in 2013.  CSUMB dominates the GNAC series record in the last three season with eight wins and three losses (all to Central Washington).