TURLOCK, Calif. — Carried by big sticks from Hayden Duer (Davis HS) and Jacob Tonascia (San Benito HS/Mission College), and clutch relief work from sophomore Connor Fabing (San Benito HS), the No. 20 Cal State Monterey Bay baseball team picked up a huge doubleheader sweep at Stanislaus State Sunday afternoon at Warrior Field.

CSUMB took Game 1 5–4 in 11 innings and Game 2 6–3 in seven innings to improve to 17–5 overall and 11–5 in the CCAA. Stanislaus, which had a chance to catch the Otters when the weekend started, dipped to 13–11 and 9–9.

Tonascia hit his seventh home run of the season, a 2–run shot in the top of the ninth, to force extra innings in the opener. Duer hit his seventh and eighth homers of the season in the game, including the game–winning in the 11th inning.

That muscle, combined with 2 1/3 innings of 1–hit, shutout relief sealed the opening–game victory.

The Otters couldn't hang on to a 3–0 lead in the nightcap as Stanislaus scored three times in the fourth innng to tie the game. But Ruben Gonzalez (Murrieta Mesa HS) drew a bases–loaded walk with two outs to break the tie and TJ Dove (River Valley HS/Yuba CC) ripped a 2–run single up the middle to plate two more.

Fabing came in to throw a scoreless inning for his second save of the season.

Duer and Tonascia led the offense with three hits apiece. The duo combined to score four runs and drive in five with with three home runs and a double.
 

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GAME 1 WAS OVER WHEN OVER WHEN… Hayden Duer followed Jacob Tonascia's game–tying homer in the ninth inning with a game–winning homer in the 11th.

GAME 2 WAS OVER WHEN OVER WHEN… TJ Dove laced a 2–out, 2–run single up the middle to increase CSUMB's lead to 6–3 in the final frame.

AND THE BEAT GOES ON… At 17–5, CSUMB is off to the second best start in school history. Only the 2016 squad—which opened 18–4 en route to an NCAA Tournament bid—was better through 22 games.

THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE ROAD… By taking three of four at Stanislaus State this weekend, the Otters have now won all three road series this season. The are 9–2 on the road in 2018.

THE BASH BROTHERS… Hayden Duer and Jacob Tonascia are battling for the league lead in several power categories. Duer leads the CCAA with eight home runs while Tonascia has seven. Tonascia leads the league in RBI (32), doubles (9) and slugging percentage (.721). Duer, meanwhile, is third (25 RBI), fourth (7 2Bs) and third (.663) in those three categories

THE LAST WORD… "Those were two competitive games. Tonascia and Duer came up big when we needed it most. Our offense was a little stagnant most of Game 1, but we just stayed with it and found a way to win. In Game 2 Stanislaus gifted us the go ahead runs with a bases loaded walk and TJ Dove gave us the insurance we needed. McRae pitched well enough to win and Connor had a shut down inning to close it." — CSUMB Head Coach Walt White

THEY'VE GOT NEXT… The Otters return home for a big 4–game series with 2018 NCAA Division II runner–up UC San Diego Mar. 25 and 26.