SEASIDE, Calif. – The CSUSB baseball team put on their grittiest performance of the season on Saturday, winning the first game against #12 Cal State Monterey Bay to force a winner-take-all championship. In the second game, some costly late-inning hits gave the Otters the lead over the Yotes, allowing them to claim the CCAA Tournament Title. This was just the third time in program history that the Yotes have made it to the CCAA Tournament title game, and the first time since they last won it in 2002.
 

Game 1: CSUSB 16, CSUMB 15
In a thrilling game that lasted 3 hours and 40 minutes, saw 12 pitchers, 110 batters step into the box, 42 hits, and 31 runs scored, the Yotes came away with the win on a walk-off single from DeShawn Johnson in the bottom of the ninth inning.
 
The Yotes' first three hitters, Jason Shedlock, Johnson, and Daryl Ruiz, each went 3-5 in the game each with three or more RBI. Derek Bogh also tied a career-high four hits while scoring three runs. Shedlock launched his first career home run, while six different batters hit a double in the game. In total, their 22 hits is tied for second-most on the season.
 
CSUSB used seven pitchers in the game, none throwing more than 2.1 innings. Oscar Rauda entered in the ninth and became the only pitcher out of the 12 for both teams to not allow a run while earning his second win of the season. With the win, the Yotes extend their win total to 38 on the season.
 
 
Game 2: CSUSB 9, CSUMB 13
In the winner-take-all game, the Yotes fell to the Otters on a late comeback, giving Monterey Bay the tournament title. However, CSUSB reached two historic milestones in the final game of the tournament, breaking the record for most runs scored in a season and most hits recorded in a season. Not only is the 2023 squad the winningest team in program history, they are now statistically the best-hitting and best-scoring team to ever wear the CSUSB uniform. The previous hit record was 608 in a season belonging to the 2002 team, while the previous run record was 426 in a season belonging to the 1997 team. After the second game, the 2023 team now sits at 617 and 434, respectively.
 
The Yotes got out to an early 8-0 lead, but were unable to keep the Otter bats quiet as they scored all 13 of their runs in the final five innings. Head coach Mike Nadeau and the pitching staff attempted to slow down the offense by bringing in their starters out the pen, including Austyn Coleman, Benny Olguin, and Dylan O'Connor, but it wasn't enough to hang on to the lead.
 
Just as they have done all season, the offense continued to tear the cover off the ball - recording double-digit hits for an incredible 33^rd time this season. Shedlock, Johnson, and Giovanni Del Negro each recorded multiple hits in the game. The Otters win their first ever CCAA Tournament title to go with their regular season CCAA title.
 
 
Up Next
The NCAA Selection Show will take place tomorrow, May 14^th, at 8:00 PM PST on NCAA.com. The broadcast had originally been scheduled for 7:00 PM PST, but has since been pushed back an hour. Despite not earning the automatic qualifier, the Yotes have put together one of, if not the best, resume in the entire west region this season. Should they hear their name called tomorrow, they will become the first team in CSUSB baseball history to make the NCAA Division II Tournament.

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