Game 1 box | Game 2 box

ROHNERT PARK, Calif. - Despite an impressive pitching performance from Kelly Lowe in game one, the Cal State East Bay softball team could not get its offense going in a pair of losses to Sonoma State to open conference play on Friday afternoon in Rohnert Park. The Pioneers (3-3, 0-2 CCAA) needed extra innings to decide game one, a 1-0 loss in 10, after Lowe took a no-hitter into the ninth inning, while game two saw the Seawolves hold East Bay to just two hits.

Game one saw Lowe and Sonoma State pitcher Samantha Lipperd completely shut down the opposing bats. Lowe tossed eight innings of no-hit softball, striking out three, walking four and hitting one to give the Seawolves just five base runners during that span. Meanwhile, Lipperd was perfect for seven innings, sitting down the first 21 straight Pioneers with 11 strikeouts in the first seven innings.

A Taylor Neumann single in the top of the eighth gave East Bay its first baserunner of the game and ended Lipperd's perfect game and no-hitter hopes. The Pioneers, however, couldn't capitalize and stranded Neumann.

After an unproductive bottom of the eighth and top of the ninth, the Seawolves finally broke through against Lowe in the bottom of the ninth, as Brittany Martinez got ball through up the middle with one out for Sonoma's first hit of the game, which knocked Lowe out and brought on Talia Ferrari in relief. Ferrari ended the threat, however, with help from Neumann, who caught Martinez' pinch runner stealing, to send the game into the 10th and institute the internation tie breaker which places a runner on second to start the inning.

The Pioneers' had their best chance to score in the top of the 10th, as Neumann was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second with one out. Lipperd bounced back, though, getting a groundball and a strikeout to end the threat.

Sonoma State took advantage in its half of the 10th, as Ferrari hit Skylynn Myers to put two on with no outs. Rochelle Vanyi drove a double into right to bring around Ali Palermo from second to give the Seawolves the game one victory in 10 innings.

In another low-scoring affair in game two, the two squads combined for just five hits. Sonoma State's two early runs proved to be the only scoring of the game, as Pioneer starter Lauren Zweigle walked three and gave up one hit in the bottom of the second inning.

Working with a 2-0 lead, Sonoma State starter Julianne Martinez shut down East Bay, allowing just two hits and striking out five in seven shutout innings. Meanwhile, senior Catherine Schorn was effective in relief for the Pioneers, tossing 4.1 innings of shutout softball and allowing just two hits.

The Pioneers will return to action against the Seawolves tomorrow, as they try to bounce back in the series-closing doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m. at Seawolf Softball Field in Rohnert Park.