College baseball: Otters stumble in CCAA conference opener

SAN BERNARDINO — When you have won a record five consecutive conference baseball titles and have come within four outs of reaching the College World Series, there’s an expectation in the program.

Chasing history has had its hurdles to clear, and Cal State Monterey Bay has a barrier in front of them after falling 11-9 Thursday to host San Bernardino in the California Collegiate Athletic Association conference tournament.

While defending its tournament title isn’t necessary for the Otters to advance to their fifth straight NCAA Division II West Regionals, it wouldn’t hurt in its bid to host the postseason tournament next week.

For that to happen, the Otters (36-15) are going to have to rediscover their magic on the mound. Since capturing the CCAA regular season title, they have dropped three straight games.

Of concern is CSUMB has given up 10 or more runs in those three losses, having allowed 33 runs in three games, failing to hold a three-run lead and a one-run advantage during Thursday’s marathon game.

The Otters, who swept four games from San Bernardino during the regular season, will at some point have to play two games in the same day over the next 48 hours if they have aspirations of making it three straight conference tournament titles.

A solo homer from Bobby Benavidez to open the game pointed CSUMB in the right direction, as it stretched its lead to three in the second inning on a two-run double by Benavidez before the Coyotes erupted for five runs in the fourth.

Unfazed, the Otters struck for four in the seventh, two coming on Kyle Olimpia’s home run to retake an 8-7 lead, only to see San Bernardino answer with four runs in the eighth.

While eight of the nine hitters in the starting lineup had at least one hit, the Otters defense committed three errors, which led to four unearned runs.

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