Coach White Point Loma Nazarene series: "We haven't played our best baseball yet, but we are improving. We did some things very well this past weekend, but we also identified a number of things that we need to clean up. Some things can only be identified by playing good outside competition. This week we have really emphasized the need to prepare properly. We've had a great week of practice and we are looking forward to start the CCAA schedule."

Coach White on No. 2 CCAA Preseason Ranking: "Our ranking in the coaches preseason poll is really about what we were able to accomplish last year and has no bearing on what will happen this year. Last year, in this poll, we were picked to finish 7th and we exceeded everyone's expectations by winning a conference championship. Our goals as a team is still the same, meaning we are going to try to become the best baseball team we can be. Where we end up at the end of the year will be determined by how well we play. We have high expectations for ourselves and we are looking forward to another exciting season." 

  Coach White on Cal Poly Pomona: "Pomona will be our biggest challenge yet. They have started the season well and they are winning close games. That's a sign of a good team. Typically, Pomona has been very explosive offensively and they are hot to start this season. We will need to pitch well and play solid defense to come away with the results we expect. I fully expect a great series between two very good teams." 

---

LEADING OFF: The Otters hit the road for the first time in 2014, traveling to Cal Poly Pomona to open the CCAA season.  The series begins on Friday, Feb. 14 at 2 p.m., followed by a doubleheader on Saturday, Feb. 15 beginning at 11 a.m. The series finale is slated for 11 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 16. 

SCOUTING CAL POLY POMONA: The Broncos have started 2014 on a hot streak with a 6-0 record.  After recording three 1-run victories over Point Loma Nazarene, Cal Poly outscored 21-6 to sweep Dixie State last weekend capped by a 6-5 10-inning series finale. Players To Watch: Senior outfielder Chris Carlson (.391, 2 2B, 7 RBIs), senior outfielder David Armendariz (.308, 2 2B, HR, 7 R, 6 RBIs); sophomore LHP Max Bethell (2-0, 3.60 ERA, 10.0 IP, 8 K). 

LAST MEETING WITH THE BRONCOS: Senior Mark Hurley (Hollister/College of San Mateo) nabbed his second of eventually three CCAA Player of the Week honors in 2014 after leading the Otters to a four series sweep over the Broncos.  Hitting .529 in the series, Hurley hit for a series cycle, adding a double, a triple and his third home run of the season to six singles in the sweep of the Broncos. 

ALL-TIME SERIES LEADER: After winning eight of their last 10 meetings including a four-game sweep last year, the Otters have taken the lead in the all-time series against Cal Poly with an 11-9 record. CSUMB has outscored the Broncos 62-30 in those 10 contests. 

LAST TIME OUT: The Otters clinched their first series win of 2014 with two wins over visiting PacWest Conference's Point Loma Nazarene last weekend. CSUMB went to extra innings to secure a 5-4 win in the series opener on Friday, Feb. 7.  After winning game one 5-3, the Otters had to settle for a doubleheader split after dropping the nightcap 3-2.  Junior Blake Grant-Parks (Yuba City/Sierra College) went long for CSUMB's first home run of the season, while racking up 3 RBIs and a double in the series. 

COLLEGIATE BASEBALL POLL:  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 and D2Baseball.com do not feature the Otters...yet. 

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.  

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). 

PRESEASON ALL-AMERICAN..:  Senior A.J. Quintero became CSUMB's second NCBWA Preseason All-American after being selected to the third team.  Outfielder Jared DeCastro received honorable mention honors in 2012. Quintero recorded 10 saves in 2013, ranking 12th in the nation. 

...AND ALL-REGION: Joining A.J. Quintero ( on the NCBWA Preseason All-Region first team is senior Mark Hurley and junior Jeff Owen (Clovis East).  Senior Chris Daniels (Citrus Heights/Sierra College) was a second team selection.  

CAREER RECORD WATCH: Junior Jeff Owen is closing in on two CSUMB career record to add to his already impressive resume.  His two year total of 157 strikeouts is 12 strikeouts shy of leader Patrick McClain (2007-10).  Owen is also cutting the gap in the strikeout looking category.  With his two over the weekend, Owen has raised his total to 38 and is five away from catching McClain's 43. Owen already holds six CSUMB career record: lowest ERA (2.43), most strikeouts in a 9-inning game (8.40), most wins (16), most complete games (8), most shutouts (3) and most combined shutouts (2). 

2013 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 had the fifth-best batting average in the league at .345 and also ranked fourth with 69 hits. 

2013 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:  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 in the 2013 season with most wins in a season (12) .  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).