BOX SCORE CHICO, Calif. – In a series opener that spanned two days, the Cal State Monterey Bay came out victorious with a 9-4 decision over the No. 5 Chico State Wildcats at Nettleton Stadium.

Rain halted play on Sunday with the Otters leading, 9-3, in the top of the ninth with two outs. 
 
CSUMB opened the game with two runs in the second.  With two outs, freshman Chris Blanton (Burlingame, Calif./Burlingame) doubled to right center and then scored on junior Tommy George's (Elk Grove, Calif./Elk Grove HS) sixth triple of the season.  Junior Jesse Olson (Citrus Heights, Calif./Sierra College) singled to left field to score George.  

The Wildcats answered with two runs in their half of the frame and  took a 3-2 lead in the third.
 
The Otters reclaimed the lead in the sixth with two runs. Junior Jason Merjano (San Ramon, Calif./Sierra College) singled and advanced to second on senior Chris Lopiccolo's (Marina, Calif./UCSB) single. Blanton's fly out moved Merjano to third to put the runners at the corners. Geroge reached first on a error by Chico State's shortstop and Merjano scored.  Lopiccolo scored on Olson's double to right center to put CSUMB up 5-3.
 
CSUMB took advantage of the break down in Chico State's defense, scoring five runs on three errors and two singles by Merjano and senior Danny Nelson.
 
Merjano is 3-for-5 with two runs while Olson has two hits and three RBIs.  Junior Brian Haggett (Hollister, Calif./Sacramento State) and Blanton each have to two hits. 

Senior Aaron Appino (Rancho Cordova, Calif./Sacramento City College) went six innings, giving up three runs while striking out two batters.  On the mound for the Otters when play was stopped was freshman Zach Grotz (Burlingame, Calif./Burlingame HS) who threw two innings without surrendering a hit.  
 
When play resumed on Monday, Chico State's Juan Guerra took the mound to strikeout Olson to take the game into the last half of the frame.

Junior righthander Jacob Crose (Simi Valley, Calif./Simi Valley HS) quickly got into trouble by walking the first two Wildcats.  Shane Kroker hit a RBI single through the right side to make it 9-4.  After hitting the next Wildcat batter, Crose was relieved by closer Harold Zosel (Pleasanton, Calif./San Jose CC) with the bases loaded and facing Chico State's middle of the lineup.  Zosel retired the next three batters with two strikeouts and a pop-up to shortstop.


CSUMB-Chico State series schedule

Monday, Mar. 19
12 P.M. – Resume Sunday's game in the top of the 9th with CSUMB's Jesse Olson up to bat with two outs.
 Approx 1 PM – Begin opener of scheduled doubleheader (nine-inning game) followed by a seven-inning game.
 
Tuesday, Mar. 20
11 A.M. – Series finale (nine-inning game)