STOCKTON, Calif. — For the second consecutive game, No. 12 Cal State Monterey Bay dug itself a big early hole when it opened CCAA Championship Tournament play Wednesday. For the second consecutive game, the Otters rallied in a big way, this time overcoming a 7–3 deficit to defeat San Francisco State 14–11 at Banner Island Ballpark.

CSUMB improved to 37–14 overall and will play the loser of Wednesday's late game between No. 3 seed Chico State and No. 4 seed Cal Poly Pomona Thursday at 3 p.m. San Francisco (24–27) will play Cal State L.A. (27–23) in an elimination game Thursday at 11 a.m.

Senior first baseman Hayden Duer (Davis HS) led the Otter power surge, reclaiming the CCAA home run lead by hitting his 15th and 16th long balls of the season, extending his own school season and career records. Senior catcher Jacob Tonascia (San Benito HS/Mission College) temporarily tied Duer's season record by hitting his 14th home run in the first inning.

CSUMB also got a homer and triple from TJ Dove (River Valley HS/Yuba CC) as well as doubles from Kyle Czaplak (Pacific Grove HS) and Tano Garza (Santa Rosa HS/Mendocino College) as part of its 14–hit attack.

After a 2–out Otter error led to an SFSU run in the first, Tonascia created the first of five lead changes in the game when he blasted a 3–run shot to straight away center field. The Gators responded with six unanswered runs to claim their biggest lead at 7–3 in the third.

Duer's first homer of the day pulled two of those runs back in the third before Dove's 2–run triple and a Czaplak sac fly put the Otters back on top, 8–7, in the fourth, setting up the decisive fifth inning.

SFSU loaded the bases with no outs when junior lefty Jeffery Ahern (Anderson HS) came out of the pen. Ahern faced the heart of the Gator order and allowed just two runs to score. Although SFSU had retaken the lead, he kept the Otters within a run.

That allowed time for CSUMB to blow the game open with a 5–run seventh, A leadoff homer from Dove and RBI singles by Max Sanderson (Foothill HS/Chabot College), Myles Hager (Tarzana/Chaminade Prep) and Connor Caspersen (Amador Valley HS/Mission College) highlight the outburst.

Ahern and A.J. Banuelos (Soledad HS/MPC) didn't allow a hit over the final two innings to lock down the win.
 

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THE GAME WAS OVER WHEN OVER WHEN… Although the Otters trailed at the time, Jeffery Ahern escaping the bases loaded, no–outs jam in the fifth inning while keeping the Otters within a run proved to be the beginning of the end for the Gators.

FOR OPENERS… Wednesday victory was second victory to open CCAA Tournament play for the Otters and their first since an 11–7 win over UC San Diego to open the 2016 tournament.

SWEET SIXTEEN, PART I… Hayden Duer extended his CSUMB single–season record for home runs to 16 with a pair of shots Wednesday. He extended his Otter career record to 39 homers.

SWEET SIXTEEN, PART II… CSUMB scored in double  figures for the 16th time this season in Wednesday's 14–11 victory. The previous school record for double–figure scoring was 12 games by the 2015 and 2016 squads.

LEADERS OF THE RAFT… Hayden Duer (3x5, 2 HR (15,16), 2 R, 3 RBI); TJ Dove (2x4, 3B, HR (4), 3 R, 3 RBI, SB); Jacob Tonascia (1x4, HR (14), 2 R, 3 RBI, IBB); Tano Garza (3x5, 2B, 2 R); Kyle Czaplak (1x3, 2B, 2 R, RBI, BB); Jeffrey Ahern (W (5–1), 4.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, K, BB).

THE LAST WORD… "We weren't very sharp early defensively. And Steinbeck found himself behind in the count early on, which allowed SF to hit in leverage counts. But, as we've done all year, we stayed together, we didn't panic and we allowed our offense to settle in with some great at bats. Zarate and Ahern were able to keep us within striking distance. With our offense, we always have a chance and we have the ability to put up some runs, especially in this ballpark. How you win in the playoffs doesn't matter. It's about finding a way and that's what we were able to do. And now it's on to the next game. " — CSUMB Head Coach Walt White

THEY'VE GOT NEXT… The Otters will play their second game of the CCAA Championship Tournament against the loser of Wednesday late game between Chico State and Cal Poly Pomona. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. Thursday at Banner Island Ballpark..