Game 1 box | Game 2 box

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - The Cal State East Bay softball team bounced back from a pair of losses to San Francisco State on Sunday with a 4-3 victory in extra innings followed by a 4-1 win in the nightcap to secure a sweep to close out the series on Wednesday at SF State Softball Field. The Pioneers (13-15, 10-14 CCAA) needed a late comeback to eke out the win in game one, while an early homer in game two gave East Bay a lead it would never relinquish.

The Pioneers and Gators were set for a pitcher's duel in game one, as both starters allowed just two runs apiece in the first seven innings of the extra-inning affair. After SFSU scored one of East Bay starter Talia Ferrari in the first inning, the Pioneers answered back in their half of the second to tie the game 1-1. After a double by Sara Holdridge, Devon Mercurio drove in the tying run with an RBI single to right center to draw even.

Ferrari no-hit the Gators over the next two innings before they broke through in the bottom of the fourth, stringing together a pair of hits including an RBI single to take a 2-1 lead. Though SF State starter Ashley Jackson kept the Pioneer bats silent in the third, fourth, fifth and sixth innings, East Bay took advantage of its last ups to reign in SF State.

With nobody on and two outs, Cal State East Bay pinch hitter Dani Foster doubled to left center and Jamie Yaller followed with a double of her own to bring around Foster and tie the game 2-2. After getting through the bottom of the seventh unscathed, the Pioneers headed into their half of the eighth with momentum on their side.

After three singles and a fielder's choice loaded the bases for Breezy Johnson with one out, the junior outfielder singled to right to bring in Holdridge and Devin Salmones and give the Pioneers a 4-2 advantage.

Despite allowing a run with two outs, Ferrari managed to get out of the jam in the bottom half of the inning and pick up her fifth victory of the season, tossing a complete game, striking out four and allowing three runs in eight innings. Johnson finished the game 2-for-3 at the plate with two RBI, while both Holdridge and Mercurio went 2-for-4 to help lead East Bay.

In game two, Emily Montanez helped the Pioneers get out to an early lead with a two-run homer to right field after Kassandra Winger led off with a single. The homerun was Montanez' first of the season and gave starter Kelly Lowe a 2-0 lead to work with when she took to the circle. After Johnson singled in the top of the second and Yaller brought her in with a sacrifice fly, the lead was 3-0 for East Bay and Lowe cruised through the first five innings, shutting out the Gators and allowing just three hits over that span.

Leading 3-0, Cal State East Bay solidified its lead with another run in the top of the sixth inning. Back-to-back singles from Johnson and pinch hitter Cassidy Zeiner put two on with no outs for Winger who singled to left field. Johnson beat the throw home and put the Pioneers up 4-0 heading into the bottom half of the inning.

SF State finally put its lone run up on the board in the bottom of the sixth, stringing together a single and a double to break through against Lowe for a single run before the redshirt freshman hurler got out of the inning with a pair of groundouts and a lineout. Lowe then held the Gator bats quiet in the seventh to end the game and mark her fifth win of the year.

Lowe scattered the one run and just five hits out over seven innings of work, striking out two and walking two in the victory. Johnson remained hot in game two, going 3-for-4 with two runs, while Winger also went 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI.

Cal State East Bay will now step out of conference play for the weekend, traveling to the Mizuno Tournament of Champions in Turlock for the second straight season. The Pioneers will play five pool games in the 22-team tournament, beginning with Notre Dame de Namur and Chaminade on Friday. East Bay will also meet Hawaii Hilo, Central Washington and Western Washington on Saturday before entering into Sunday's single-elimination bracket. The tournament will feature 71 games and includes all 10 CCAA teams as well as representatives from the GNAC and Pac West Conferences.

The Pioneers kick off the tournament against the Argonauts at 11:15 a.m., followed by a matchup with the Silver Swords at 1:30 p.m. on Friday at Pedretti Park in Turlock. Tournament information, schedules and results can be found here, while live statistics for all the Pioneer games will be available here.