SEASIDE, Calif. – Cal State East Bay baseball played the first game of the 2023 CCAA Baseball Championship against Stanislaus State on Wednesday from Otter Sports Complex. The Warriors scored six runs in the first three innings and pulled away for an 11-2 win ending the 2023 season for the Pioneers in an elimination game.
In the second inning, CSUEB pitcher
Ethan Brodsky had two strikeouts. The first of the two broke a Pioneer single season record for strikeouts in a season. With his second strikeout, the new Pioneer record for strikeouts in a season is 91 set by Brodsky. The previous record was 89 strikeouts in the 1995 season achieved by David Ordahl.
Prior to the game,
Luke Novitske received the CCAA's Elite 13 Award for baseball in 2023.
The Warriors scored the first two runs of the game in the top of the first inningand added another in the top of the second for an early 3-0 lead.
The Pioneers scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the second inning.
Manny Garcia and
Cole Anderson drew back-to-back walks to open the bottom of the second, and advanced another base on a sacrifice bunt by
Niko Mollat.
Jacob Froess grounded out to second base but drove in Garcia on the play. Following the groundout,
Samuel Esparza doubled to right center driving in Anderson as Cal State East Bay trailed 3-2 through two innings.
However, in the top of the third, Mac Cabero launched a two-run home run to left field to add to the Warriors' lead which was 5-2. One more run in the third, followed by three in the fifth and one each in the eighth and ninth innings helped Stanislaus State pull away for an 11-2 lead which became the final score in Wednesday's game.
CSUEB head coach
Mike Cummins following Wednesday's loss:
"Disappointed the season ends this way just because we grinded so much this year to get to this point but looking at the big picture we made the [CCAA Tournament]. We kind of set the tone for our program to move forward, but it's a disappointing day for us."
- Brodsky finished his career at Cal State East Bay with 191 strikeouts, third most in program history.
- Esparza had two hits on Wednesday, both of which were doubles.
- The Pioneers finished their season with a 27-24 record, which was the seventh year and sixth played season under the direction of head coach Mike Cummins.
