SEASIDE, Calif. — The No. 21 ranked Cal State Monterey Bay baseball team continued to hit the ball well Sunday. For the second consecutive game, however, big hits at key times eluded the Otters as visiting Cal State San Bernardino rallied for a 3–1 win in the series finale at the Otter Sports Complex.

The Otters (8–2, 2–2 CCAA), hitting .342 as a team, produced nine hits and 15 base runners Sunday, but only a Ruben Gonzalez (Murrieta Mesa HS) fourth–inning single cashed any of them in. It was the third time in the series that CSUMB left at least 11 runners on in a game.

Chabot College transfer Levi Noddin pitched well enough to earn the win, allowing just one run and five hits in five innings of work. The one run he did allow came on a controversial call in which it appeared as if the Otters had turned a double play but were denied the second out.

The game came down to relief pitching. Coyote designated hitter Alec Ceniceros touched CSUMB's Brandon Granger for his second home run of the series. The 2–run shot broke a 1–1 tie in the seventh inning.

Two San Bernardino relievers combined to throw 2 2/3 innings of 2–hit, shutout ball to seal the win.
 

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THE GAME WAS OVER WHEN OVER WHEN… San Bernardino reliever Noah Simon coaxed TJ Dove to ground to short with runners on first and third and two outs in the eighth inning. Will Mentzer set the Otters down quietly in the ninth.

ROLLIN', ROLLIN' ROLLIN', KIND OF… Jacob Tonascia saw his 10–game hitting streak come to an end by going 0–for–4 Sunday. He was hit by a pitch, however, and now has reached base safely in 11 consecutive games.

THEY SHALL BE LEAVE ON… While it probably isn't what Elton John meant when he sang Levon, "leave on" is exactly what the Otters have been guilty of so far in 2018. CSUMB is averaging 9.1 runs per game through the first 10 games, but also is averaging leaving 10 runners per game on base.

HEAVY D… The usually sparkling Otter defense returned in full force Sunday, handling 36 chances without an error. It marks the fifth time in 10 games this season that the Otter D has posted a clean sheet.

LEADERS OF THE RAFT… Ruben Gonzalez (2x3, BB, RBI);Jordan Esposo (1x4, 2B, R); D'Andre Sanchez (2x4) .

THEY'VE GOT NEXT… The Otters head south to take on Cal State L.A. in a 4–game series at Reeder Field Mar. 2–4. The series begins with a single game Mar. 4 at 6 p.m.