SEASIDE, Calif. — The catcher combo of
Hayden Duer (Davis HS) and
Jacob Tonascia (San Benito HS/Mission College) powered No. 20 Cal State Monterey Bay to another split with UC San Diego Tuesday afternoon at the Otter Sports Complex. After dropping a heart–breaking 7–6, 10–inning decision in the opener, a solo shot by Tonascia and a grand slam by Duer led CSUMB to an 8–4 win in the nightcap.
The split leaves CSUMB at 19–7 overall and in a virtual tie with Cal State L.A. for the CCAA lead with both clubs 13–7 in league play. The Otters hold the tiebreaker by virtue of taking the 3–of–4 games from the Golden Eagles in Los Angeles the first week of March.
UCSD (16–8, 12–7) is one half game back.
The highlight of the day for Otter fans came in Game 2. A pair of 2–run homers helped UCSD overcome a 3–run Otter first and gave the Tritons a 4–3 lead in the fifth inning of the 7–inning game. In the home half of the fifth, walks to
Max Sanderson (Pleasanton/Chabot College) and
Kyle Czaplak (Pacific Grove HS) sandwiched a Tonascia single and loaded the bases for Duer. Duer followed by giving the first pitch he saw a ride for a no–doubt grand slam to dead center to put the Otters back on top.
Tonascia added the game's final run with a solo shot in the sixth inning. The run was superfluous, however, as closer
Conner Fabing (San Benito HS) fanned three in two perfect innings of relief to earn his third save.
The win took the sting out of an opening game loss in which the Otters rallied from behind twice, forcing extra innings when
Jordan Esposo (Monterey HS/MPC) scored on a wild pitch with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. UCSD won it in the 10th when Justin Beck led off with a double, moved to second on a balk and scored on a single by pinch hitter Blake Baumgartner.
GAME 1 WAS OVER WHEN OVER WHEN… the Otters left the bases loaded in both the fourth and fifth innings without scoring a run. Even though they eventually came back to tie the game, they could have put it away with one or two key hits. The six left on base in those two innings were part of a 13 LOB game for CSUMB.
GAME 2 WAS OVER WHEN OVER WHEN… Hayden Duer's 10th home run of the season gave CSUMB a 7–4 lead after five complete. UCSD didn't come close to putting a runner on base in the final two innings versus
Connor Fabing.
DARE WE SAY EN FUEGO? YES, WE DARE… Hayden Duer continues to sizzle like white phosphorus at the plate, extending his hitting streak to a team and personal season–high 12 games Monday. Over that stretch, Duer is hitting .357 with four doubles, seven homers, 11 runs and 15 RBI.
DOVE CONTINUES TO FLY… TJ Dove reached safely in both games Monday with a walk in the opener and a pair of hits in the nightcap. He has now reached base safely in all 26 games this season.
LEADERS OF THE RAFT… Jordan Tonascia (4x8, 2 HR (8,9), 4 R, 2 RBI);
Hayden Duer (3x8, HR (10), R, 5 RBI);
Kyle Czaplak (3x7, 2B, 2 BB, 2 R, 2 RBI);
TJ Dove (2x8, 3B, 2 BB, R, 3 RBI);
Connor Fabing (2.0 IP, S (3), 0 H, 0 R, 3 K).
THE LAST WORD… "Those were two good teams playing a series that was fun to watch. I expect that we will meet again before the season is over." —
CSUMB Head Coach Walt White
THEY'VE GOT NEXT… The Otters head to San Diego County to open a 4–game set at Cal State San Marcos Friday, Mar. 29 – Sunday, Mar. 31.
GO OTTERS!
