CARSON, Calif. — Cal State Monterey Bay rallied to score six unanswered runs in Game 2 to earn a doubleheader split with Cal State Dominguez Hills Friday afternoon at Toro Diamond. The Toros won the opener, 3–0, before the Otters exploded late to take the nightcap, 9–8.
CSUMB left five runners on base with one out in the first and second innings of Game 1, then went quietly the rest of the way as Alyssa Valinches threw a 2–hitter for the win. Both Otter hits belonged to senior center fielder
Joanna Perruccio (Long Beach Wilson HS/Cerritos College).
The Otters scored three time in the first inning of Game 2 only to see Dominguez respond with five in the first and three more in the third to jump to an 8–3 lead. But
Hayley Fein (Sparks, Nev./Spanish Springs HS) came in to throw 4 2/3 innings of shutout relief, allowing the Otter offense time to find its footing.
A 2–run double by
Jayme Stark (La Quinta HS) and an RBI single by
Courtney Hennings (Pleasanton/Amador Valley HS) in the fourth pulled the Otters back to within 8–6. Perruccio doubled in a pair in the fifth to tie the game at 8–8 before
Vanessa Contreras's (Weston Ranch HS/San Joaquin Delta College first collegiate hit drove home
Gabrielle Forbes (San Jose/Presentation HS) with the game–winner in the sixth.
Perruccio, Fein and Stark each finished the day with three hits. For Fein (3–for–5) and Stark (3–for–4), all three hits came in Game 2.
GAME 1 WAS OVER WHEN OVER WHEN… a Rachel Sandoval double made it 3–0 Toros in the fifth. CSUMB never brought the tying run to the plate in the sixth or seventh.
GAME 2 WAS OVER WHEN OVER WHEN… Hayley Fein got Alexis Pintado to ground to second to end the game with the tying run on first base.
WELCOME TO THE CLUB… The game–winning single by
Vanessa Contreras was her first hit as an Otter. She came in to pinch hit for
Luseane Tutoe and walked in the fourth inning then looped a 2–out single to right field in the sixth inning to bring home the game–winning run.
A LITTLE SOMETHING IN RESERVE… In addition to
Vanessa Contreras, several reserve players got a chance to shine in the Game 2 victory.
Luseane Tutoe made her first collegiate start spelling
Julia Garcia at third base.
Aubrey Cousins recorded her first outfield assist in the third inning.
Sierra Gonzalez got the start in right field and went 2–for–3 with a run and an RBI.
Nikki Jones came in as a pinch runner, stole a base and scored a run.
LEADERS OF THE RAFT… Joanna Perruccio (3x6, 2B, 2 RBI);
Hayley Fein (3x7, R, BB);
Jayme Stark (3x5, 2B, R, 2 RBI, BB);
Sierra Gonzalez (2x3, R, RBI, SF).
THEY'VE GOT NEXT… The Otters conclude their 4–game series at Dominguez Hills with a doubleheader starting Saturday at 11 a.m.
GO OTTERS!
