SAN MARCOS, Calif. – The Cal State San Marcos baseball team makes its final trip north to take on Cal State East Bay this weekend.
 
The Schedule
Game 39 & 40
Saturday, April 23 – 11 a.m. (DH)
Cal State San Marcos (20-18, 12-14 CCAA) at Cal State East Bay (23-14, 14-12 CCAA)
Hayward, Calif. | Pioneer Baseball Field
Live Stats 
 
Games 41
Sunday, April 24 – 11 a.m.
CSUSM at CSUEB
Hayward, Calif. | Pioneer Baseball Field
Live Stats 
 
Baseball Social Media
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Cal State East Bay Preview
All-time vs. CSUEB: First meeting between these two teams.
 
CSUEB Breakdown: The Pioneers have only lost one series this season, a three-game sweep by then-No. 28 Cal Poly Pomona (March 25-26). CSUEB has split two series against Chico State and Sonoma State while recording series wins over Cal State L.A., Cal State San Bernardino, Cal State Dominguez Hills and San Francisco State. The Pioneers rank second in the CCAA with a .322 batting average and 56 stolen bases.
 
Last Series Recap
Last weekend, the Cougars found themselves trailing in all three games but were able to come back to collect a series sweep against visiting Sonoma State. Sophomore Colin Dvorak went 5-for-8 (.625) with three runs and two RBIs. In the series opener, senior Clinton Perez homered for the fifth time this season while senior Jon Putnam and sophomore Austin Ott knocked out their first home runs of the season.
 
CCAA Standings
North Division
1. Chico State 15-11, 25-13
2. Cal State Monterey Bay 15-12, 26-13
3. Cal State East Bay 14-12, 23-14
4. Sonoma State 13-12, 15-21
5. San Francisco State 9-14, 16-18
6. Stanislaus State 9-15, 18-18
 
South Division
1. Cal Poly Pomona 17-9, 25-13
2. UC San Diego 16-11, 26-13
3. Cal State Dominguez Hills 14-13, 21-18
4. Cal State San Marcos 12-14, 20-18
4. Cal State San Bernardino 12-14, 17-21
6. Cal State L.A. 8-17, 9-27
 
CSUSM in the CCAA Ranks
Team, top five
BATTING
1. Walks (177)
3. Batting average (.307)
3. Hit by pitches (39)
4. Doubles (65)
4. Runs (237)
5. Runs batted in (203)
5. Hits (383)
 
Individual, top five
BATTING
1. Hit by pitch – Jon Putnam (11)
2. Walks – Tyler Place (26)
2. Sacrifice flies –Brandon Bentson (6)
2. Sacrifice bunts – L.A. Gamo (9)
3. Runs batted in – Clinton Perez (37)
3. Runs scored – Tyler Place (38)
4. Sacrifice flies – Austin Ott (5)
5. Hits – Tyler Place (56)
5. On base percentage – Tyler Place (.472)
5. Slugging percentage – Clinton Perez (.559)

Outside the CCAA
CCAA teams have posted a 72-39 (.649) record against non-CCAA teams so far this season. The CCAA schools have a 42-29 (.592) record against Pac West schools. CSUSM has tallied an 8-4 non-conference record in 2016 with a 2-2 record against PacWest schools.
 
Records Are Made To Be Broken
Senior Brandon Bentson became the CSUSM hit leader after recording a single in his fourth at bat on Friday, March 11 against Cal Poly Pomona. The hit passed CSUSM Hall of Famer Austin Coleman's (2008-12) record of 226 hits. Bentson now has 249 hits and counting.
 
Career Record Watch
Brandon Bentson
1st in Hits – 249 (Austin Coleman, 226)
1st in Games started – 184 (Austin Coleman, 176)
1st in Games played – 186 (Austin Coleman, 180)
2nd in Doubles – 45 (Austin Coleman, 56)
2nd in RBIs – 144 (Austin Coleman, 171)
2nd in Sacrifice flies – 18 (Austin Coleman, 24)
3rd in Runs Scored – 140 (Austin Coleman, 158)
3rd in Walks – 66 (Kyle Secciani, 92, 2010-13)
3rd in Sacrifice Hits – 13 (Johnny Omahen, 15, 2008-11)
 
Tyler Place
T2nd in Triples – 10 (Kyle Secciani, 18, 2010-13)

Jon Putnam
3rd in Hit By Pitch – 25 (Austin Coleman, 37)
 
Austin Ott
3rd in Sacrifice Flies – 11 (Austin Coleman, 24)
 
L.A. Gamo
3rd in Sacrifice Hits – 13 (Johnny Omahen, 15, 2008-11)
 
Emilio Esquibel
3rd in Wins – 14 (Johnny Holtman, 19, 2008-11)
 
Cameron MacKenzie
3rd in Most Strikeouts Looking – 35 (Johnny Holtman, 59, 2008-11)
 
New Season, New Surroundings
The Cougars enter their first season of NCAA Division II competition and California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) play in 2016 after playing its first nine seasons in the NAIA. CSUSM made three postseason appearances during its time in the NAIA.
 
The Pugh File
Head coach Dennis Pugh enters his tenth season at the helm of the Cougars in 2016. Pugh has accumulated a 254-143-2 on field record while grooming 29 all-conference selections. Prior to his time at CSUSM, Pugh spent 27 years as the head baseball coach at Mission Bay High School in Pacific Beach.
 
New Territory
After nine seasons of competition in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), the Cougars enter their first season of NCAA Division II competition in 2015-16. CSUSM is currently in the second year of a three-year transition to full NCAA Division II membership. As a part of the transition, the Cougars will be ineligible for postseason play in 2016 and 2017.

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