Softball | April 12, 2017

SEASIDE, Calif. — Despite a 3–3 week the Cal State Monterey Bay softball team remained in the Top 10 in this week's NFCA/NCAA Division II national rankings, checking in at No. 10 in the season's ninth poll.

The Otters entered the week with a 32–7 record, tops in the West Region. Tuesday's doubleheader sweep at Stanislaus State—which lifted CSUMB's record to 34–7—did not factor into this week's rankings. The 29–4 mark is the best start in program history.

CSUMB is alone in first place in the CCAA (22–6), with No. 13 Chico (19–7), unranked Sonoma State (20–8) and No. 1 Humboldt State (17–7) following in that order.

CSUMB leads the West Region and ranks No. 6 nationally in batting average at .364. The Otter lineup boasts three of the CCAA's top four hitters and five of the Top 11. Julia Garcia (Ventura College) leads the CCAA with a .426 average followed by Jayme Stark (La Quinta HS) in the No. 2 spot at .419. Lusi Stanley (San Jose/Howard College) is No. 4 at .406, Madison Casto (No. 7, .391) and Mikal Cuellar (No. 11, .366) also are in the mix.

In the circle, freshman Hayley Fein (Sparks, Nev./Spanish Springs HS) became the third 20–game winner in CSUMB history with a pair of victories Tuesday. She leads the circuit with a 21–6 record and ranks in the Top 4 in ERA (1.73), strikeouts (104) and opponent batting average (.230)

CSUMB also ranked, No. 10 nationally in fielding percentage (.974), No. 13 nationally in win–loss percentage (.879) and No. 15 in both slugging percentage (.514) and triples per game (0.38 tpg). All of those numbers lead the CCAA as well.

The Otters conclude a 6–game roadtrip with a 4–game series at San Francisco State Friday and Saturday. They return home to host No. 13 Chico State in a 4–game series at the Otter Sports Complex Apr. 21–22.