SEASIDE, Calif. — The No. 8 ranked Cal State Monterey Bay softball team missed a golden opportunity to gain some separation in the CCAA title chase by earning a wild split with visiting Cal State East Bay Saturday at the Otter Sports Complex. Freshman Hayley Fein (Sparks, Nev./Spanish Springs HS)  tossed a 3–hit shutout to earn a 2–0 win in the opener before the teams combined to throw an incredible 325 pitches in an 11–7 East Bay win.

CSUMB (31–6, 19–5 CCAA) scored on a bases–loaded walk and a 2–out single by Sam Luna (Salinas HS/MPC) to provide Fein all the support she would need to record her seventh shutout of the season. But none of the first five pitchers who appeared in the nightcap could solve the strike zone, combining for 14 walks while all throwing more balls than strikes.

East Bay took a 6–2 lead in the third thanks to five walks and a hit batter in the inning. The Otters rallied back to tie the game at 7–7 in the fifth thanks to 2–out singles by Julia Garcia (Ventura College) and Madison Casto (Sunnyvale/Homestead HS).

The game turned on its ear in the Pioneer sixth, however, when, with two outs, Garcia dove into foul territory for a ball of the bat of Ali Cerminara. Garcia appeared to touch the ball comfortably in foul territory, but it was called fair, opening the door on a 4–run inning that proved to be the difference in the game. 
 

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GAME 1 WAS OVER WHEN OVER WHEN… Sam Luna's clutch single made it 2–0 Otters in the fourth. East Bay would get only one runner as far as second the rest of the way as Fein settled in on her 3–hit shutout.

GAME 2 WAS OVER WHEN OVER WHEN… Anneliese Lopez ran through a stop sign and was thrown out at home for the first out in the sixth inning. Jayme Stark (La Quinta HS) had just doubled and the Otters were looking at second and third with no outs and Lusi Stanley coming up. Instead, the Otters came away empty in their last threat.

LEADING OFF… Hayley Fein's seventh shutout puts her at No. 3 on the CSUMB single season list. Lindsey Clarkson set the Otter record with 10 shutouts as a sophomore in 2014.

ON DECK… With Humboldt State splitting a doubleheader at UCSD, Chico splitting at Cal State San Marcos and Somina losing its opener with San Francisco State, the Otters missed a chance to gain separation on their three closeest pursuers Saturday afternoon.

IN THE HOLE… Jayme Stark and Madison Casto each had three hits in Game 2, marking the 27th and 28th time an Otter has done that this season.

LEADERS OF THE RAFT… Madison Casto (4x6, 2B); Jayme Stark (4x7, 2B, 2 R, RBI); Sam Luna (3x7, SB, R 3 RBI); Mikal Cuellar 2x3, 2 R).

THEY'VE GOT NEXT… The Otters conclude their 4–game set versus East Bay with a doubleheader against the Pioneers starting Sunday at noon.