SEASIDE, Calif. -- After scoring six runs in the first inning, the Cal State Monterey Bay Baseball team used that momentum to boost them to a 14–4 victory over Cal State East Bay to open the California Collegiate Athletic Association season on Friday afternoon at the Otter Sports Complex.

It was another solid start for freshman pitcher Greg Steinbeck (Hollister, Calif. / San Benito High School) who improved his record to 3–0 after his first three starts. Steinbeck threw six strong innings allowing one run on seven strikeouts. The Otter offense backed up Steinbeck's dominance on the mound by putting across six runs in the bottom of the first inning, highlighted by a three–run triple by Myles Hager (Tarzana, Calif / Chaminade College Prep).

The runs continued to come in the fourth inning when Justin Flores (Fresno, Calif. / Clovis West HS) smacked his first home run of the season, collecting two RBIs in the process giving CSUMB an 8–1 lead. From the fourth ot the eighth inning, the Otters scored at least once, crossing the plate twice in the fourth, fifth, and sixth inning, putting the Otters up big.
Two runs in the top of the seventh and a run in the top of the ninth put the Pioneers within 10, but the hole was too big to fill and CSUMB cruised to 14–4 win.

In addition to Hager's and Flores' big days at the plate, Chris Blanton (Burlingame HS) had his best game of the season going 4–for–4 with three RBIs and two runs scored. Will Rosado (Clovis East HS) chipped in three hits, two RBIs and three runs scored from the leadoff spot as well. CSUMB scored a season–high 14 runs on a season–high 18 hits in the win.

For the Pioneers, Marcus Williams held his own, hitting 4–for–4 with two runs scored in the loss. Marcus Wise pitched in two hits, while Dakota Connors went 2–for–2 with three RBIs off the bench.

With the win, CSUMB opens the conference season similar to how they opened the 2015 season and are now 5–4, 1–0 CCAA. CSUEB falls to 3–2, 0–1 CCAA. Cal State Monterey
Bay will be back in action tomorrow for a doubleheader against Cal State East Bay. First pitch is set for 11 a.m.

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