SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. - The California State University San Bernardino baseball team out-slugged top-seeded Cal State Monterey Bay 11-9 Thursday evening in a CCAA Quarterfinal at Fiscalini Field.
With the victory, the Coyotes advance to the winner's bracket, and will face their rival from Cal Poly Pomona on Friday at 3 p.m., with the winner looking to punch its ticket to Saturday's championship series.
Cal State Monterey Bay opened the scoring on a lead-off home run in the bottom of the first, and scored two more in the bottom of the second to take a 3-0 lead.
The Coyotes answered in a big way in the top of the fourth inning, plating five runs after entering the inning without a hit to take a 5-3 lead. Sophomore Keedan Nadeau (Highland, Calif.) drove in CSUSB's first run with a sacrifice fly to deep right, before a throwing error by the pitcher extended the inning and brought home another run for the Yotes. A batter later, senior Greg Luna (Moreno Valley, Calif.) connected for a three-run home run over the left field fence to put the designated visitors up by a pair.
Nadeau extended CSUSB's lead to three in the top of the fifth when he scored freshman Tyson Pettingill (Overton, Nev.) on a three-bagger to right field.
The Otters got the run back in the bottom of the sixth on a solo home run, but senior Dom Dominguez (Victorville, Calif.) answered with a no-doubt shot to straightaway center in the top of the seventh to put the Coyotes up 7-4.
Monterey Bay briefly took the lead at 8-7 with four runs in the bottom of the seventh, but CSUSB answered with a massive swing in the top of the eighth inning. With runners on first and second, Dominguez crushed a 2-2 fastball way over the wall in right to put CSUSB back ahead 10-8, a lead they would never relinquish.
Later in the inning, senior Jeremy Giesegh (Upland, Calif.) delivered some insurance with an RBI single to left field to make it 11-8. The Otters scored once in the bottom of the eighth on a wild pitch, but would get no closer. Senior Jesse Alfaro (Moreno Valley, Calif.) slammed the door shut in the bottom of the ninth to earn his second save of the season.
Dominguez and Pettingill each finished the contest with three hits in the win for Cal State San Bernardino, with Dominguez driving in four runs.
Junior Ivan Rodriguez (San Bernardino, Calif.) started the contest for the Coyotes, but threw a no-decision. He tossed 6.1 innings, allowing six earned runs and striking out five. Chad Horton (Menifee, Calif.) got the win in relief, throwing one inning to advance to 2-0.
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