(SAN DIEGO) It took 13 innings, but the Sea Lions are still alive in the Super Regionals.
Down to their final three outs,
Hunter Otjen hit a game-tying two-run home run in the ninth to send the game to extra innings before PLNU Baseball defeated Cal State Monterey Bay, 10-8, in 13 innings to force a winner-take-all Super Regional matchup.
CSUMB led by as many as four runs at 7-3 until
Eric Smelko's two-run shot cut Point Loma's deficit in half in the sixth.
That deficit was no more when Otjen came through in the top of the ninth to force extras.
Esai Santos prevented the game-winning run from scoring in the 11th, throwing out a runner at the plate to end the inning.
Point Loma then took its first lead of the entire game in the 12th on
Owen May's double to right center before CSUMB tied it up in the bottom half.
The Sea Lions then took the lead for good in the 13th on a
Bryson Hashimoto sacrifice fly, with
Jack Malone adding an insurance run with a run-scoring hit to left.
Otjen (2 IP, R) then closed the door to earn the win after
Christian Williams (3.1 IP, 2 K) and
James Sashin (2.2 IP, K) combined to pitch six scoreless innings in relief.
Point Loma (44-11-1 overall) and Cal State Monterey Bay (39-20) will play the deciding Super Regional game at 4:05 p.m. to determine who will represent the West Region at the NCAA Division II World Series in Cary, North Carolina.
