CARSON, Calif. — For the second consecutive day, Cal State Monterey Bay took the second game of a doubleheader to earn a split with Cal State Dominguez Hills at Toro Diamond. Saturday, the Otters fell in the opener 6–1 before taking a 3–1 decision in the nightcap.
Junior pitcher
Celeste Villagrana (Anaheim/Howard College) came within a strike of her first Otter shutout, but had to settle for a dazzling 3–hit victory in Game 2. She fanned six, walked two and only a 2–out, 2–strike double that squeezed inside the right field line in the seventh inning kept her from the clean sheet.
Alexandra Greenburg (Huntington Beach/Edison HS),
Courtney Hennings (Amador Valley HS) and
Sierra Gonzalez (Pleasant Grove HS) delivered RBI singles to provide Villagrana all the run support she would need.
CSUMB made a pair of critical errors in the first inning of the opener, leading to four unearned Toro runs. Sophomore
Hayley Fein (Sparks Nev./Spanish Springs HS) allowed just two hits and no earned runs in four innings of work but took the hard–luck loss.
At the plate, Fein was one of nine different Otters to collect a hit in Game 1. Gonzalez, who finished the day with three hits, was one of four Otters to hit safely in both games.
GAME 1 WAS OVER WHEN OVER WHEN… a pair of errors allowed Dominguez Hills to score four runs on just two hits in the first innings. The Otters wouldn't light the scoreboard until there were two outs in the seventh.
GAME 2 WAS OVER WHEN OVER WHEN… Courtney Hennings singled up the middle to drive in
Jayme Stark in the second inning. With
Celeste Villagrana in control, the Toros never brought the go–ahead run to the plate over the final six frames.
A SINGULAR EFFORT… The Otters collected 16 hits in Saturday's doubleheader—and 15 of those were singles.
Hayley Fein's sixth–inning double in Game 1 was the only Otter extra–base hit. The Otters out–hit the Toros 16–8 in the doubleheader.
DOING THE SPLITS… After going 2–2 at Dominguez Hills this weekend, the Otters have now split their last three series. They haven't won (or lost) a series since taking three of four at Cal State San Marcos Mar. 18–19.
HOME SWEET HOME… The Otters will conclude their regular season schedule with eight consecutive home games, hosting UC San Diego (Apr. 20–21) and Stanislaus State (Apr. 27–28).
LEADERS OF THE RAFT… Celeste Villagrana (W (5–4), 7.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 6 K, 2 BB);
Sierra Gonzalez (3x5, RBI);
Courtney Hennings (2x5, R, RBI, BB);
Alexandra Greenburg (2x3, R, RBI).
THEY'VE GOT NEXT… The Otters return home to host UC San Diego for a 4–game series Friday–Saturday, Apr. 20–21 at the Otter Sports Complex. First pitch will be 1 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. Saturday
GO OTTERS!
