STOCKTON, Calif. -- The Cal State Monterey Bay baseball team battled Cal State East Bay for the fifth time in a matter of five days, and while things looked promising early on the late innings did not go as planned for CSUMB, as the Pioneers rallied to score late and hand the Otters their first loss of the CCAA Championship Tournament.

Monterey Bay was up to their usual antics and scored in the first two innings. Bryan Bostjancic (Forest Knolls, Calif.) hit a single to open things up and was followed by a Kevin Davidson (Yucaipa HS) triple to plate the first run. Davidson then scored on a Hayden Duer (Davis HS) sacrifice fly to give CSUMB a 2-0 lead. Early scoring wasn't finished  as the Otters plated three more on a 3–run scoring error by East Bay, allowing CSUMB to take a 5-0 lead. 

The Otters were held scoreless in the third, fourth and fifth innings, and that's when CSUEB struck. Pioneers scored three runs in the third inning, highlighted by a Dakota Conners 2-RBI double, stealing the momentum from CSUMB. The Pioneers inched closer with a run in the fourth inning and completed the come back, tying the game at 5-5 on a Michael Frantz RBI single in the fifth inning.

Davidson hit his 12th home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to take the lead back at 6-5, but CSUEB answered back with a run of their own in the top of the seventh, knotting the score at 6-6. Matt Urakami (Branham HS) touched home plate in the eighth inning on a throwing error by East Bay, giving CSUMB the lead against at 7-6.

The hard nosed Pioneers would not back down as CSUEB took advantage of Monterey Bay pitching en route to scoring three runs in the top of the ninth. A pinch-hit 2-RBI double by Kris Bartlett brought home the tying and leading run for the Pioneers. The 8-7 East Bay lead would be its first of the game, coming at the most opportune moment. East Bay added one more for good measure and took a 9-7 lead into the bottom of the ninth.

Duer led off the ninth for the Otters and reached base on an soft base hit to shortstop and advanced to second on a throwing error, putting CSUMB in business. Duer got to third on a Will Rosado (Clovis East HS) ground out. With Myles Hager (Chaminade College Prep) at the plate, the second baseman was able to get a fly ball deep enough to score Duer from third, but that would be all the offense in the ninth for CSUMB as Josh Thorpe (Cabrillo College) struck out swinging to end the game and any threat of an Otter walk off.

Davidson finished the night going 2–for–4 at the plate with three runs scored and two RBI. Duer and Bostjancic also had 2-hit days at the plate. 
CSUMB has now lost four of five against Cal State East Bay. Monterey Bay will play an elimination game against Chico State on Friday at 11:00 a.m. The winner of that game will battle Cal State East Bay on Friday night at 7:00 p.m.