LEADING OFF: Due to Easter this Sunday, the CSUMB-SSU series has been moved up one day. The series begins with a 2 p.m. single game on Thursday, April 17 followed by a doubleheader on Friday beginning at 11 a.m. The series finale is slated for Saturday at 11 a.m.
SCOUTING SONOMA STATE: The Seawolves have won 13 of their last 16 games, including a CCAA sweep at Cal State San Bernardino last weekend. With a break from its conference schedule, Sonoma State defeated visiting Academy of Art 5-2 last Sunday. Sonoma State is on top of the CCAA standings, sporting a 4-game lead over second place Chico State. But something to note, Sonoma State has had two series rained out – third place UC San Diego and fourth place Cal Poly Pomona – and will not be making them up.
Players To Watch: Junior shortstop Jourdan Welks (.351 BA, 19 R, 26 H, 7 SB); junior catcher Eric Ehlow (.312 BA, 24 H, 4 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 18 RBIs); senior right-handed pitcher George Asmus (4-0, 0.40 ERA, 44.2 IP, 36 SO)
LAST SERIES AGAINST THE SEAWOLVES: The Otters swept Sonoma State for the first time in their program's eight-year history in 2013. A four-run seventh inning launched the Otters to a 5-3 series opener victory. After an 8-7 win in game one,
Jeff Owen (Clovis East HS) tossed his second seven-innning complete game shutout of the season that resulted in a 1-0 victory.
A.J. Quintero (Vacaville/Sacramento City College) earned his then-CCAA leading sixth save after tossing four shutout innings to clinch an 11-4 series finale win.
LAST TIME OUT: The Otters took one game from the Pioneers of Cal State East Bay last weekend. After falling 6-2 in Hayward on Friday, CSUMB was able to split Saturday's doubleheader in Seaside by holding on to a 3-2 win in the nightcap after falling 7-4 in game one. The Otters dropped the series finale 9-2 in Hayward. Senior
Jason Brady (Campbell/West Valley College) went 4-for-7 (.471) with two runs and two RBIs.
CCAA WEEKEND RECAP: There were five CCAA series played last weekend that included three sweeps: UC San Diego over Cal State Stanislaus, San Francisco State over Cal State L.A. and Chico State over Cal State Dominguez Hills. Cal State East Bay won 3-of-4 against the Otters. Cal State San Bernardino and Cal Poly Pomona split its series
. OTTERS NEAR TOP OF CCAA: Junior
Brian Hamm (Pleasanton/Chabot College) passed Cal State East Bay's Marcus Wise to take the top spot in the CCAA stolen base category with 17 after regsitering three this past weekend against the Pioneers. After accumlating two this weekend, senior
Mark Hurley (Hollister/College of San Mateo) moved into a three-way with 13 doubles alongside Pomona's David Armendariz and Nick La Face of UC San Diego. Junior
Jeff Owen remains in third with 48 strikeouts.
CSUMB LEADS CONFERNECE: CSUMB leads the CCAA in three categories: doubles (74), doubles per game (1.95) and stolen bases (46). The Otters rank second in sacrifice flies (19) and triples (9)
OWEN FRUSTRATING BATTERS: Junior RHP
Jeff Owen is making CSUMB's opponents irked by allowing only 5.59 hits per nine innings, ranking him 17th in the nation.
MAKE IT A DOUBLE: With a conference leading 74 doubles, CSUMB ranks 4th in the Otter record book by averaging 1.95 doubles a game. The 2006 squad is on top with 2.14 per game. One note, CSUMB played 55 games in 2006. In 2010, the NCAA lowered the maximum number of regular season games played to 50.
RECORD WATCH: With 17 stolen bases this season, junior
Brian Hamm is closing in on
Tommy George's CSUMB record of 21 set in 2012. Hamm is averaging a stolen base nearly ever two games. With 12 games remaining, he is on track to pass George.
