Game 1 box | Game 2 box

HAYWARD, Calif. - The Cal State East Bay softball team improved to 3-1 on the year with a doubleheader split with Academy of Art on Sunday afternoon at Pioneer Field. The Pioneers fell to the Urban Knights, 4-1, in game one, but got their offense going in a 7-2 game two victory.

Both teams got off to a slow start in game one, going scoreless through the first two innings before Academy of Art broke through against starter Lauren Zweigle. The Urban Knights put together three hits to bring in a pair of runs and take a 2-0 lead.

Academy of Art built on its lead in the fifth, adding another run to take a 3-0 advantage into the bottom of the fifth.

Meanwhile, the Pioneers struggled against impressive pitching from the Urban Knights' Sierrah Garcia, who shutdown the offense for four innings. East Bay failed to record a hit against Garcia's pitching and had just one base runner while striking out four times in the first four frames.

The Pioneers finally broke through in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI single from Breezy Johnson, who drove in Devin Salmones, who tripled with one out.

The Urban Knights answered back in the top of the sixth, however, loading the bases after starting the inning with a baserunner on an error by Salmones. A single from Lauren Stover brought in another run to put Academy of Art up 4-1 for the remainder of the game.

Game two was a different story for the Pioneers, who got things started right away against starter Kimberly Dauer. After Kassandra Winger got things going with a walk, Mishka Hamor, Nikki Freiberg and Taylor Neumann followed with singles to bring around three runs and knock Dauer from the game. After Garcia returned in relief, the Pioneers scored another run to take an early 4-0 lead.

Redshirt freshman Kelly Lowe was effective in 5.2 innings of work, allowing two runs on one hit while striking out four and walking five. Lowe led the Pioneers into the sixth inning with a 4-1 lead before the Urban Knights knocked her out of the game and added their second run of the game.

Leading 4-2 in the sixth, the Pioneers got their first homerun of the season after getting a walk from Sara Holdridge and another single for Johnson to put two on for Jamie Yaller. The Moorpark native took a Garcia pitch and parked it over the fence in left center to put East Bay up 7-2 and seal the victory for the Pioneers.

Lowe picked up her first win of the season, while Johnson finished the day 2-for-6 with a run and an RBI, while Yaller went 1-for-4 at the plate with a run and three RBI. Emily Montanez, who played first in game two and served as designated player in game one, went 2-for-5 with a run, an RBI and a walk.

Cal State East Bay now looks ahead to the start of CCAA play next weekend, as it travels to Sonoma State for a pair of doubleheaders. The Pioneers and Seawolves will get the series underway on Friday, Feb. 11 at 12 p.m. in Rohnert Park.