BOX SCORE STOCKTON, Calif. – A five-run ninth inning propelled the No. 7 Cal State Monterey Bay baseball team to a 9-4 victory over No. 30 Chico State in the first elimination game of the CCAA tournament Friday at Banner Island Ballpark.
 
The win raises CSUMB's record to 38-14 and advances the Otters to their second elimination game, which will be played at 2 p.m. Saturday against Cal State L.A.
 
Senior Jesse Olson (Citrus Heights/Sierra College) got things started in the ninth with a single through the rights side yet exited due to illness and junior Michael Lonsdale came in to pinch run.  A wild pitch, walk and a bunt single by Ronnie Fhurong (Hollister/San Benito HS) loaded the bases.  Senior Brian Haggett (Hollister/West Valley College) smashed a single that hugged the third baseline to push two runs across the plate. CSUMB added three more runs on David Garcia (Gilroy/Mission College) RBI single and a Wildcat error.
 
It only took CSUMB three pitches to score its first post season run in program history.  Senior Victor Rasor-Thompson (San Diego/Univ. of San Diego) took the first pitch of the game to the right field corner for a double.  On a 1-0 count, Fhurong singled up the middle to put CSUMB up 1-0.
 
Chico State's Blake Gibbs crushed back-to-back homers, a solo in the fourth and a two-run shot in the sixth, to put the Wildcats up 3-1.
 
CSUMB retook the lead in the eighth with two outs on three consecutive singles by Fhurong, Jason Merjano (San Ramon/Sierra College) and Tommy George (Elk Grove HS). 
 
The Wildcats evened the score again in the bottom of the eighth, taking advantage of a CSUMB error.
 
The loss for Chico State snapped a 51-game winning streak when leading after seven innings.
 
Sophomore starter Jeff Owen (Clovis East) gave up six hits and three runs while striking out six batters in his six innings on the mound.  In one and one-third innings, junior reliever Rickey Guerrero (Stockton/MPC) allowed one hit and only one unearned. Junior A.J. Quintero (Vacaville/Sacramento City College) earned his third win of the season after closing the game.