HAYWARD, Calif. – The Cal State Monterey Bay baseball team eclipsed 20 runs for the second time in as many days, racing past Cal State East Bay, 23-2, Sunday afternoon at the Pioneer Baseball Field.
The Otters split the series with the Pioneers, claiming both victories with 20-or-more runs. The 48 runs scored in the series is a school record on the strength of the record-tying 23-2 victory on Sunday. CSUMB took down No. 28 Cal Poly Pomona on the road, 23-6 on April 3, 2016.
The Otters set the tone early and often as
KW Quilici and
Jaden Sheppard hit back-to-back jacks in the opening frame. CSUMB smashed seven home runs in all as
Noah Zertuche went deep twice and
Kahle Good,
Jimmy Garcia, and
Cole Murchison added home runs.
CSUMB tallied two home runs in an inning twice and Zertuche hit his home runs in consecutive innings. Ten Otters collected multi-hit games as they banged out 24 hits and seven sported multi-RBI games.
Good batted 2-for-6 with five RBI, while Zertuche (2-for-3) and Garcia (2-for-5) both drove in four.
Mitchell Torres got more than enough run support, having 14 runs put on the board during his impressive five-inning start. The southpaw allowed one run on two hits and struck out five to improve to 2-0 on the season.
The Otters scored in all but one inning and put up six-spots in both the fourth and seventh innings.
CSUMB will enjoy home cooking for two straight weekends as the Otters welcome Jessup University for a pair of games next weekend and then host Chico State, beginning on March 21.
