Softball | March 29, 2017

SEASIDE, Calif. — For the third consecutive week, the Cal State Monterey Bay softball team leapfrogged three spots in the national rankings, this week checking in at No. 15 in the latest NFCA/NCAA Division II poll.

The Otters enter the week 23–4 overall. The 23–4 mark is the best start in program history through 27 games, beating the 2015 squad which opened 22–5. They're alone in first place in the CCAA (17–3), with No. 2 Humboldt State and No. 7 Chico State following in that order.

CSUMB leads the CCAA and ranks No. 6 nationally in batting average at .366. CSUMB also ranked, No. 5 nationally in win–loss percentage (.852), No. 8 in slugging percentage (.533) and No. 10 in fielding percentage (.973). All of those numbers lead the CCAA as well.

Individually, junior Jayme Stark (La Quinta HS) and sophomore Lusi Stanley (San Jose/Howard College) rank 1–2 in the CCAA batting race at .453 and .422 respectively. Sophomore Courtney Hennings (Amador Valley HS) is No. 5 at .408 and junior Julia Garcia (Oxnard/Ventura College) is No. 9 at .393. In the circle, freshman Hayley Fein (Sparks, Nev./Spanish Springs HS) paces the circuit with 13 wins while her .221 opponent batting average ranks No. 2.

The Otters are taking a break from conference play to take part in the Tournament of Champions Mar. 31 through Apr. 2 in Turlock. They'll return home to host Cal State East Bay in a 4–game series at the Otter Sports Complex Apr. 7–8.