The Cal State Monterey Bay Baseball team used a 4-run third inning to separate themselves from Point Loma at Carroll B. Land Stadium en route to a 5-3 win in its first game of the 2018 season.
Gabe Katich (1-0) dusted off the cobwebs in the first innings, allowing the Sealions to take an early 1-0 lead in the first inning. However, Katich went on to silence the PLNU bats for the remainder of his outing allowing five hits while striking out three in five innings pitched to get the win.
Max Sanderson drove in the first run of the game for CSUMBÂ on an RBI single up the middle and would later score on a wild pitch.
Aaron Gaela extended the inning by driving in two more runs on a double down the left field line put the Otters up 4-1. The Sealions plated two more runs in the middle and late innings but CSUMB got insurance run in the seventh on a
Jacob Tonascia single giving CSUMB the eventual 5-3 win.
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THE GAME WAS OVER WHEN... Reliever J
effrey Ahern got out of a runners on second and third with no one out jam in the bottom of the eighth without allowing a run.
FOR SEASON OPENERS... With a win to begin his eighth season at the helm of the CSUMBÂ Baseball program, Head Coach Walter White is now 6-2 in season openers, dating back to the 2011 season.
HITTING STAT PACK... HITS: TJ Dove, Myles Hager, Ruben Gonzalez -- 2;
RUNS: Hager -- 2;
RBI: Gaela -- 2;
WALKS: Tonascia -- 3;
STRIKEOUTS: Ahearn -- 4
THE LAST WORD..."Just a well played game by both teams. We had some really good at bats in timely spots and we made plays on defense in pivotal moments. Katich, Ahern, and Banuelos combined on a nice outing. Playing a series against a strong team like PLNU early in the season is important. It's nice to start off with a good team win. But tomorrow we start all over." —
CSUMB Head Coach Walt White
THEY'VE GOT NEXT... Monterey Bay will remain in San Diego for game two of the three-game series at Point Loma. First pitch for Friday's game is set for 2:00 p.m.
GO OTTERS!
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