SEASIDE--  The 7^th ranked Cal State Monterey Bay Otters defeated the visiting SF State Gators 14-4 this afternoon in the first game of this weekend's four-game series between the two teams.  The series will now move SF State's Maloney Field for a doubleheader starting tomorrow at noon in San Francisco.

"Poor effort on all sides of the ball for us today," said first-year head coach Tony Schifano.

The Otters (16-3, 5-2 CCAA) scored 9 unanswered runs in the first three innings this afternoon.  They took a 3-0 lead in the first inning as they scored three runs on four hits with lead-off hitter, Will Rosado, starting things off with a lead-off single.  The hosts added four more runs in the second with two coming on a two-out two-run single by Brian Bostjancic. 

SF State ended the shutout bid with a two-run fourth inning.  Bryce Brooks had a one-out walk and advanced to second on a Myles Franklin single.  He scored on a single by Connor Fraser single to right center.  Franklin scored when Joe Chedid reached on a fielder's choice to cut the Gator deficit to 9-2.

Cal State Monterey Bay came back with two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning as Bostjancic had a lead-off triple and scored on a single by Matt Urakami.  Urakami scored on a two-out single by Justin Flores to increase the Otter lead to 11-2.  They added three more runs (two in the sixth and one in the eighth) to take a 14-2 lead.

The Gators (8-9, 2-5 CCAA) scored two runs in the top of the ninth inning.  Noeh Martinez had a one-out single and scored on a pinch-hit two-run home run by Logan Marston.  This was Marston's first home run as a Gator as he cut the Otter lead to 14-4. 

Jeffrey Ahern who pitched three innings of relief, induced the next Gator to fly out to center.  Pinch-hitter Ryan Burke singled to left field with two outs, but Ahern retired the last Gator batter on a pop out to short stop as the Otters took the series opener 14-4.  Gabe Katich (4-1) picked up the win in the start for the Otters, going 6 innings, giving up three hits, two runs, striking out four and walking two.  Ahern pitched the final three innings, giving up five hits and two runs while striking out one.

The Otters pounded out 19 hits including four coming off the bat of right fielder, Justin Flores (4-for-5).  Rosado, Bostjancic and Hayden Duer each had three hits for the hosts. 

Dillon Houser (1-2) recorded the loss in the start for SF State and was one of four pitchers for the Gators this afternoon.  Martinez and Brooks each had two of the Gators' 8 hits with Brooks also stealing his three base of the season and hitting his third double. 

Box Score
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Gator Athletics has a proud tradition of competitive success within the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The department offers 12 intercollegiate sports programs: Baseball, Men's and Women's Basketball, Men's and Women's Cross Country, Men's and Women's Soccer, Softball, Women's Track & Field, Women's Volleyball and Men's Wrestling.

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