SEASIDE, Calif. – The No. 12 ranked Cal State Monterey Bay baseball team powered its way to a doubleheader sweep over Cal State San Bernardino to notch another series victory Saturday at the Otter Sports Complex. The Otters ran away with game one, 18-5, and then sealed the sweep with a 4-1 victory in game two. After the pair of wins, the Otters improve to 31-10 overall and 16-7 in CCAA play.
 
Game One
 
The CSUMB offense erupted to a 18-5 victory behind a 23-hit attack that featured contributions from every position in the lineup.
 
The Yotes struck first in the opening frame when shortstop Eddie Alfaro scored an unearned run on a single through the right side by catcher Dom Dominguez, giving San Bernardino an early 1-0 advantage. CSUSB extended its lead to 3-0 in the second inning when Alfaro was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force in a run, and Dominguez followed with a sacrifice fly to left field that scored another.
 
CSUMB answered in the bottom of the second when right fielder Bobby Benavidez reached on a fielder's choice that allowed shortstop Kyle Olimpia to score, cutting the deficit to 3-1. The Otters continued their momentum in the third inning when first baseman Jason Del Villar launched a two-run home run to left-center field that evened the game at 3-3.
 
The fourth inning proved to be the turning point as CSUMB sent eleven batters to the plate and scored six runs to break the game wide open.
 
The rally began when left fielder Noah Zertuche reached base and eventually scored on a single to left-center by third baseman Xander Sielken, giving the Otters their first lead at 4-3.
 
The floodgates opened as the inning progressed. Starkus was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force in center fielder Melo Rivera and extend the lead to 5-3. Del Villar followed by being hit by a pitch himself, bringing home Benavidez to make it 6-3. Second baseman Andrew Lehmann then drew a bases-loaded walk that scored Sielken, pushing the advantage to 7-3. Catcher Conner Smith lifted a sacrifice fly to right field that allowed Starkus to score, and Olimpia capped the explosive inning with a single to center field that plated Del Villar, giving Cal State Monterey Bay a commanding 9-3 lead.
 
The Otters added two more runs in the fifth inning when Del Villar singled to shortstop to score Benavidez, and Smith doubled to right-center field to bring home both Lehmann and Del Villar, extending the lead to 12-3. CSU San Bernardino managed a run in the sixth when Alfaro singled through the right side to score center fielder Keedan Nadeau, but CSUMB immediately answered with a sacrifice fly by Sielken that scored Zertuche to make it 13-4.
 
The seventh inning saw another Otter run when Zertuche reached on a fielder's choice that allowed Lehmann to score. The Otters saved their final offensive surge for the eighth inning, scoring four more runs to put the game completely out of reach. Rivera scored on a groundout by Sielken, Starkus singled to shortstop to drive in Benavidez, and Lehmann delivered a two-run single up the middle that scored both Del Villar and Starkus.
 
Benavidez led the way with a perfect 4-for-5 performance at the plate, scoring three runs and driving in one. Del Villar, Lehmann, Sielken, and Olimpia each collected three hits, with Del Villar's four RBIs and home run providing the power in the middle of the lineup. Lehmann's three RBIs, including the decisive two-run single in the eighth added to his big return to the lineup.
 
Smith contributed two hits and three RBIs, including his two-run double in the fifth inning. Starkus added two hits and two RBIs, while Rivera collected two hits and scored twice.
 
On the mound, Daniel Flores earned the victory to improve his record to 4-2, working five innings while allowing four hits and three runs-two earned and struck out a pair. Sophomore Kyle Giovannoni recorded his second save of the season with four innings of relief, allowing two hits and two earned runs while striking out one.
 
Game Two
 
The Otters secured the sweep behind a masterful complete game performance by righthander Hayden Hall.
 
CSUSB struck first when catcher Dom Dominguez launched a solo home run to right-center field in the opening inning, giving the Coyotes an early 1-0 advantage.
 
The lead proved short-lived, however, as CSUMB answered immediately in the bottom of the first when James Starkus lifted a sacrifice fly to center field that allowed Bobby Benavidez to score, tying the game at 1-1.
 
The Otters seized control in the second inning when Noah Zertuche launched a two-run home run to right field that scored Kyle Olimpia, giving them a 3-1 advantage. Starkus followed with a single to center field that drove in Xander Sielken and Benavidez, extending the lead to 4-1 and effectively putting the game out of reach.
 
Zertuche led the way with his two-run home run and two RBIs. Starkus contributed one hit and two RBIs, including his sacrifice fly in the first inning and his run-scoring single in the second. Benavidez scored two runs while drawing one walk. Olimpia recorded one hit and one walk while also collecting one double, while Conner Smith and Sielken each contributed one hit to the Otters' six-hit attack.
 
On the mound, Hall delivered a complete game performance. The senior allowed just four hits and one run over seven innings while walking no batters and striking out six. Hall's performance improved his record to 7-2 on the season.
 
The two teams will close out the series with a single contest tomorrow. First pitch is scheduled for Noon.