SAN MARCOS, Calif. — The No. 14 Cal State Monterey Bay baseball team exploded for 11 runs in the third inning en route to an 18–7 win over Cal State San Marcos to open a 4–game series Thursday at the CSUSM Baseball Field.
CSUMB improved to 20–7 overall and 14–7 in the CCAA, re–taking sole possession of first place. San Marcos dipped to 13–14 and 8–13.
The Otters actually trailed 3–1 after two innings before unleashing a maelstrom on a quartet of Cougar pitchers in the third.
Jacob Tonascia (San Benito HS/Mission College) hit two of CSUMB's four doubles in the third.
Hayden Duer (Davis HS) and
Ruben Gonzalez (Murrieta Mesa HS) hit back–to–back RBI doubles in the inning.
Sophomore pitcher
Greg Steinbeck (San Benito HS) made his second start of the season and went six innings with four strikeouts to improve to 2–0.
Brandon Granger (San Benito HS/Hartnell College) and
Alex Zarate (San Jose/De Anza College) allowed just a single unearned run in three innings of relief.
Ten different players contributed to CSUMB's 18–hit attack, including seven Otters who recorded multi–hit games. Right fielder
Max Sanderson (Pleasanton/Chabot College) led the charge with three hits, four runs and a pair of RBI. Duer added a double, his CCAA–leading 11th home run and four RBI.
THE GAME WAS OVER WHEN… Jacob Tonascia hit his second double of the third inning, driving in the eighth run of the frame to make it 9–3.
SEXTUPLE DOUBLE… Led by a pair of third–inning two–baggers from
Jacob Tonascia, the Otters combined for six doubles Thursday at San Marcos. That mark is tied for No. 6 in the Otter record book. Joining Tonascia in the doubles brigade were
Hayden Duer,
Kyle Czaplak,
Ruben Gonzalez and
Darren Kriz.
THE BEAT GOES ON… Two Otters continued a pair of impressive individual streaks Thursday afternoon.
TJ Dove had a single and was hit by a pitch to run his streak of reaching base safely to 26 games (that's every game this season).
Hayden Duer, meanwhile, had three hits to run his hitting streak to a team season–high 13 games. It's his personal record and the sixth longest streak in MB history.
START ME UP… By improving to 20–7 the Otters continued the second best start to a season in school history. With a win in Game 1 Friday, the Otters would match the 2016 squad for CSUMB's best–ever start through 28 games.
LEADERS OF THE RAFT… Hayden Duer (2x4, 2B, HR (11), BB, 3 R, 4 RBI);
Jacob Tonascia (2x4, 2 2B, 2 BB, 3 R, RBI);
Ruben Gonzalez (2x4, 2B, BB, 2 R, 3 RBI);
Kyle Czaplak (2x2, 2B, R, 3 RBI);
Max Sanderson (3x6, 4 R, 2 RBI);
Darren Kriz (1x2, 2B, RBI).
THE LAST WORD… "We weren't very good on defense today, but we did enough on offense to put San Marcos in a hole early. With the early lead, it allowed Steinbeck to settle in and pitch effectively. We will need to clean up all phases of our game tomorrow to be successful." —
CSUMB Head Coach Walt White
THEY'VE GOT NEXT… The Otters continue their 4–game set at Cal State San Marcos with a doubleheader against the Cougars starting Friday at noon.
GO OTTERS!
