SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. – The CSUSB baseball team accomplished something on Saturday that no team in the program's history has ever done before: winning their 35^th game of the season. With the victory over Cal State Dominguez Hills in the final game of the regular season, the 2023 Yotes became the winningest team in school history, passing the 2002 squad that went 34-24 en route to a CCAA Tournament Title. Though the 2023 team hopes to also win a CCAA Tournament Title next weekend, their eyes are set on something a little bit bigger – becoming the first team in the school's Division II era to make the NCAA Tournament. Having been ranked #2 in the regional rankings earlier this week and owning the most wins in the entire west region at the conclusion of the regular season, CSUSB has certainly built a resume that is worthy of a postseason berth.
 

35 WINS!!!@CSUSB_Baseball breaks the program win record to become the winningest team in CSUSB baseball history! #10TEAMSONEPACK pic.twitter.com/kWgoeQCMUH

— CSUSB Yotes (@csusbathletics) May 7, 2023

 
Before the game, CSUSB honored six seniors for their success and dedication to the program: #1 Oscar Rauda, #6 Derek Bogh, #7 Andres Quinones, #9 Nate Mendoza, #11 Austyn Coleman, and #23 DeShawn Johnson. Click HERE to view what was said about each student-athlete during the Senior Day ceremony.
 
 
Game 1: CSUSB 3, CSUDH 13
Despite collecting double-digit hits in game one of the doubleheader, the Yotes left nine runners on base to only score three runs in the game. This, paired with an eight-run first inning by the Toros, made it nearly impossible for the Yotes to start a comeback.
 
Eight different Yotes collected a hit, while Daryl Ruiz and Matt Gonzales each collected two. The Yotes, who lead the CCAA in home runs, slugging percentage, and total bases, collected 10 hits, all of which were singles. This is just the fourth game this season where the Yotes did not get at least one extra base hit.
 
 
Game 2: CSUSB 8, CSUDH 5 (7 innings)
In the final game of the regular season, the Yotes walked away with an 8-5 win to break the all-time program win record. Dylan O'Connor started the game on the mound, allowing four earned runs in 6.0 innings while striking out seven batters. O'Connor would pick up the win, improving to 7-4 on the season. Rauda, who collected a save in the doubleheader on Friday, closed out the game in seventh inning to earn his nation-leading 12^th save of the season. The Ontario native also extended his program saves record to 25 in his career.
 
After falling behind 5-1 in the fourth inning, the Yotes made some noise in the bottom of the frame with four hits and three runs to bring the game within one. Then in the fifth, four straight singles from Garrett Macias, Ben Davidson, Riley Parker, and Bogh gave CSUSB a 7-5 lead. Johnson would add an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth inning with a solo home run to centerfield, his eighth of the season.
 
 
Up Next
The Yotes end the regular season at second place in the CCAA standings, finishing four games behind #13 Cal State Monterey Bay. This places CSUSB as the number two seed in the upcoming CCAA Tournament, giving them a bye into Game 4 – which takes place on Thursday, May 11^th, at 1:00 PM. After the Opening Round is complete, the CCAA will reseed the advancing two teams. After this reseed, the Yotes will face the #3 team while CSUMB will face the #4 team on Thursday.  
 
The NCAA Selection Show will take place next Sunday, May 14^th, at 7:00 PM PST on NCAA.com. Should the Yotes hear their name called, it will be the first time in the school's Division II era (1992-present) that CSUSB baseball will make the NCAA Tournament. The program has only ever made the NCAA Tournament twice before when they were Division III in 1990 and 1991, both times reaching the DIII College World Series.
 
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