SEASIDE, Calif. – Sophomore pitcher Marc Vela shined in his first collegiate start as the Cal State San Marcos baseball team earned its first California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) win of 2017. The Cougars recorded a 7-1 victory at Cal State Monterey Bay in the series finale on Sunday.
 
With the win, CSUSM improved to 11-8 overall and 1-6 in conference play. The Otters drop to 11-6, 4-3 in CCAA action.
 
"This was a tough series against a good Monterey program," said CSUSM head coach Matt Guiliano. "We got a great effort by Marc Vela, who carried us to a win today. We still need to work on limiting our mental mistakes if we are going to be able to compete day in and day out. We have a lot of work to do in order to be ready for East Bay. They are going to put pressure on our defense and we need to be ready."
 
Vela went the first seven frames and allowed just one run, a homer by Hayden Duer in the fifth inning. He registered three strikeouts and gave up only four hits. 
 
Freshman third baseman Anthony Rodriguez went 3-for-4 with a run in the contest. Junior second baseman Riley Manquen, sophomore catcher Isaias Torres and freshman designated hitter Reed LaBar each tallied two hits, two RBIs and a run.
 
Down 1-0 after five innings, the Cougars answered with four runs. Rodriguez hit a two-out single through the right side and advanced 90 feet after junior first baseman Andy Garretson drew a walk. Senior outfielder Ross Lemmel placed a perfect bunt down the third baseline for a single to load the bases. Torres knocked out a 2-RBI single to center field and LaBar followed with another 2-RBI single with this one going to left field to make it a 4-1 ballgame.
 
Manquen's 2-RBI single and a bases-loaded walk gave CSUSM three insurance runs in the top the ninth.
 
Senior Hayden Weir and sophomore Brady Smith entered the game in relief and both retired the side in the final two innings.
 
The Cougars return home next weekend to host Cal State East Bay in a three-game CCAA series.