SEASIDE, Calif. – The Cal State Monterey Bay baseball team continued to push runs across the plate at an alarming rate, scoring a total of 26 in the doubleheader sweep over Azusa Pacific on Friday at the Otter Sports Complex.
 
CSUMB opened the twin-bill with a 13-4 victory before blanking APU, 13-0 in the nightcap. The Otters improve to 5-1 on the season and have plated 36 runs so far in the series.
 
Game One
 
The Otter bats were firing from the start, totaling 13 hits on the day en route to the 13-4 win. James Starkus led the charge, going a perfect 3-for-3 with five RBIs, including two doubles and a sacrifice fly. Conner Smith was equally lethal in the middle of the order, finishing 3-for-4 with three RBIs and two doubles of his own.
 
Noah Zertuche reached base in all four of his plate appearances (1 hit, 2 walks, 1 HBP) and scored four times, while Xander Sielken added two runs scored.
 
The Otter pitching staff combined for 12 strikeouts and held the Cougars to just five hits. Kyle Giovannoni (W, 1-0) earned his first win of the season after entering in relief in the fourth. He threw 3.1 solid innings, allowing only one earned run while striking out three.
 
Jacob Parks started the game and set the tone early, racking up five strikeouts over 3.2 innings of work, not allowing a hit until the fourth inning. Brandon Ashley closed the door with two dominant frames, striking out four and allowing just one hit to finalize the victory.
 
The key inning for the Otters was when they were leading 7-2 in the bottom of the fifth and broke the game wide open. Starkus delivered a two-run double, followed by an RBI double from Smith. The Otters also capitalized on three hit-by-pitches in the frame to push the lead to 13-2.
 
Game Two
 
CSUMB left no doubt in the series finale, dismantling Azusa Pacific, 13-0, to complete a perfect Friday doubleheader sweep. Behind a masterful performance on the mound and an offense that struck early and often, the Otters secured their most lopsided victory of the young season.
 
Noah Zertuche led the charge from the leadoff spot, finishing 2-for-4 with a triple and a two-run home run in the third inning. He finished with two RBIs and two runs scored.
 
Shortstop Ethan Meeker was a force at the bottom of the order, going 3-for-4 with a double, three RBIs, and two runs scored.
Melo Rivera finished 3-for-4 with a double, while Xander Sielken tallied two hits and two RBIs before being pinch-hit for late in the game.
 
The Otters effectively ended the contest in the bottom of the third, exploding for six runs. The rally featured Zertuche's homer and a two-run double by Jason Del Villar.
 
Hayden Hall (1-0) turned in a career-best performance to earn his first win of the season. Hall threw 5.0 innings of near-perfect baseball, surrendering just one hit and zero walks while racking up seven strikeouts.
 
Jalen Hernandez and Truman Parker combined for two hitless innings to close out the one-hit shutout. The APU offense was completely neutralized, as only three Cougars reached base the entire game.
 
The two teams will close out the series tomorrow morning. First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m.