LA JOLLA, Calif. — No. 21 ranked Cal State Monterey Bay put it all together Friday afternoon, winning in all three phases of the game to complete a series sweep of UC San Diego with 8–0 and 9–5 wins at the Triton Softball Field.
The Otter offense exploded for 17 runs and 24 hits, including 10 extra base hits. Sophomore second baseman
Courtney Hennings (Amador Valley HS) led the charge in the opener, going 3-for-4 with two doubles and two runs. In the nightcap, junior third baseman
Julia Garcia (Oxnard/Ventura College) came alive with her second 2–home run game of the season. She added a double and four RBIs
.
In the circle, freshman sensation
Hayley Fein (Sparks, Nev./Spanish Springs HS) capped a brilliant series by throwing six shutout innings for her 11th win the opener before closing the nightcap with three more shutout innings to earn her first collegiate save.
RBI doubles by
Chase Robledo (Camarillo HS),
Madison Casto (Sunnyvale/Homestead HS) and Hennings highlighted a 4–run third inning that was more than enough for Fein in the opener.
UCSD took a 5–1 lead after four innings in Game 2 before back–to–back triples by
Jayme Stark (La Quinta HS) and Casto opened the lid on a 6–run Otter fifth. Garcia capped the rally with her first homer then added a 2–run shot in the sixth for superfluous insurance.
GAME 1 WAS OVER WHEN OVER WHEN… Courtney Hennings' RBI double polished off a 4–run third inning.
GAME 2 WAS OVER WHEN OVER WHEN… Hayley Fein took the circle in relief with the Otter leading 7–5 in the fifth. UCSD managed just 11 hits and no runs in 16 innings against the Otter ace in the series.
LEADING OFF… The Otters ran their current winning streak to eight games with Friday's sweep. It's their longest streak of the season and their longest since winning 11 in a row from Apr. 4–24, 2015.
ON DECK… Hayley Fein improved to 11–3 overall and lowered her ERA to 1.82 with 9.0 shout innings Friday..
IN THE HOLE… Julia Garcia hit two home runs in a game for the second time this season. She joins Otter legend Shea Olds as the only CSUMB players to homer twice in a game more than once. Olds, who owns the CSUMB career home run record with 44, did it four times in her illustrious career.
LEADERS OF THE RAFT… Julia Garcia (4x7, 2B, 2 HR (8), 3 R, 6 RBI);
Jayme Stark (5x9, 3B, 3 R, 3 RBI);
Madison Casto (4x9, 2B, 3B, R, 2 RBI);
Hayley Fein (W (11–3), SV (1), 9.0 IP, 0 R, 7 H, 4 K).
THE LAST WORD… "This team is special. They don't give up and enjoy every moment on the field. Playing a team as good as San Diego on the road is always a challenge I couldn't be more proud of what we accomplished this weekend." – CSUMB Head Coach
Andrea Kenney
THEY'VE GOT NEXT… The Otters head to Turlock for a make–up series against Stanislaus State Mar. 21–22.
GO OTTERS!
