SEASIDE, Calif. — Otter softball fans had to wait a week longer than most, but the wait proved well worth it as No. 10 ranked Cal State Monterey Bay opened its 2015 season with a 1-0, 9-1 (5 innings) sweep of Hawaii-Hilo Wednesday afternoon at the Otter Sports Complex.

CSUMB won a fantastic pitcher's duel in the opener as All–American Cori Reinhardt (Riverside Poly) tossed a 6–hit shutout to earn the win. Hilo starter Vanessa Salinas was her equal until the game slipped away with two outs in the Otter sixth.

A 4–pitch walk drawn by Anneliese Lopez (Ventura/Buena HS) and a pinch hit single off the bat of Jenae Coleman (Castaic/Hart HS) set the stage for the game's dénouement. Freshman Jayme Stark (La Quinta HS) came in to pinch run and promptly broke for second. The Vulcans cut the throw off and tried to nail Lopez at the plate, but she slid in just ahead of Danielle Pulido's tag to score the game's lone run.

Both teams struggled in the field early in game two. Shelby Vickers led off the game with a walk before stealing second and advancing to third on an errant throw. Emily Green's perfectly executed squeeze bunt staked the Vulcans to an 1-0 lead.

But Hilo gave the run right back in the bottom of the first on a 1-out walk and a pair of 2-out errors to tie the game.

The Otters broke the game open in the second with four unearned runs thanks to one key error. Danica Arterburn's (Sparks, Nev./Spanish Springs HS) double, Reinhardt's sac fly and an RBI knock from Madison Casto (Sunnyvale/Homestead HS) were the big blows in the inning.

CSUMB iced the game with a 4-run, 2-out rally in the third. A 2-run single by Reinhardt and another RBI hit from Casto capped the outburst.

From there, junior Lindsey Clarkson (Fresno/Central HS) put a wrap on the game. Clarkson retired the final nine Vulcans in succession and finished the day allowing just one hit while fanning four in her 5-inning complete game.

Casto led the Otter offense by going 4-for-6 with a double and two RBIs. Reinhardt drove in three runs on the day while Vanessa Avila (Dana Point/Santiago Canyon HS) scored three times in the nightcap.

The Otters will hit the road for a 9–game trip that begins Friday at the Desert Stinger Classic in La Vegas. The Otters will play five games at the tournament, finishing Sunday with a rematch of last season NCAA West Super Regional final against No. 3 Dixie State.