ROHNERT PARK, Calif. — An anxious beginning gave way to a comfortable ending as No. 13 Cal State Monterey Bay exploded for 11 runs to take the opening game of a 4–game series at Sonoma State 11–2 Friday at Seawolf Diamond.
CSUMB improved to 29–10 overall and 23–10 in the CCAA. Pending the completion of Friday night action, the Otters maintain a 2–game lead over UC San Diego and bumped their lead over Chico State to 3 1/2 games and over Cal State L.A. to 4 1/2.
Sonoma State fell to 22–17 and 18–15 with Friday's loss and now trails the Otters by five games.
The Otters scored a run in the top of the first inning, but things looked dicey when the Seawolves loaded the bases with no outs in the their half of the first. But CSUMB ace
Colton Fletcher (San Jose/Westmont HS) worked out of the jam allowing just one run. It proved to be the turning point in the game.
Hayden Duer (Davis HS) put the Otter back in front to stay with his league–leading 12th home run of 2018 in the third inning. The 3–run blast begat a 10–run outburst over the next four innings that removed all doubt from the game's fate.
A 2–run double by
Darren Kriz (Chaminade Prep/College of the Canyons) extended the lead to 6–2 in the fifth before
Jacob Tonascia (San Benito HS/Mission College) hit his 11th homer of the season, a 3–run shot, to cap a 5–run Otter sixth.
Fletcher was cruising by that point. He set down 11 of the final 13 batters he faced, finishing with six strikeouts in six innings of work.
Brandon Granger (San Benito HS/Hartnell College) fanned five in three scoreless innings of relief to pick up his first save.
THE GAME WAS OVER WHEN OVER WHEN… Colton Fletcher coaxed a double–play ground to get out of a bases–loaded game in the bottom of the first. It proved to be the final chance the Seawolves would have to take the lead.
THE ENERGIZER BUNNY… TJ Dove keeps going and going. He extended his school–record streak of reaching base safely to 39 games (e.g. every game of his Otter career) with a first–inning walk Friday. He added a pair of base hits to extend his hitting streak to a personal season–high 13 games.
THEY'RE THE TOPS… Not only does CSUMB top the CCAA standings, but several Otters find themselves atop the conference leaderboards as well.
TJ Dove's 2–for–4 afternoon keeps him in first place in the CCAA batting race with a .396 average. He also leads the league with 65 hits.
Hayden Duer reclaimed sole position of the top spot in the home run chase with his 12th long ball.
Jacob Tonascia is one back with 11. Tonascia also drew a pair of free passes Friday and now lead the CCAA with 31.
Colton Fletcher, meanwhile, earned his CCAA best eight win (8–1).
LEADERS OF THE RAFT… Hayden Duer (2x3, HR (12), 3 R, 3 RBI, 2 BB);
Jacob Tonascia (1x3, HR (11), 2 R, 3 RBI, 2 BB);
Darren Kriz (2x4, 2B, 2 RBI);
TJ Dove (2x3, 3 R);
Max Sanderson (2x5, 2 R, RBI, SB);
Tano Garza .
THE LAST WORD… "Fletcher had to grind today. He wasn't sharp early, but he competed and got better as the game went along. He managed the game as well as you can manage a game despite throwing a lot of pitches early. Duer and Tonascia had the big blasts, but the Kriz double in the fifth was the key hit to give us a little cushion. We have a lot of respect for Sonoma's ball club and we know tomorrow will be a big test for us." —
CSUMB Head Coach Walt White
THEY'VE GOT NEXT… The Otters continue their 4–game set at Sonoma with a doubleheader against starting Saturday at 11 a.m.
GO OTTERS!
