Game 1 box | Game 2 box
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. – The Cal State East Bay softball team earned a split in a doubleheader with Cal State San Bernardino on Friday afternoon in San Bernardino. The Pioneers (22-23, 12-18 CCAA) saw
Talia Ferrari toss a four-hitter in a 3-1, game-one victory before the Coyotes answered back with a 7-0 shutout in game two.
In the opener, Ferrari allowed just one unearned run on four hits in her 10th victory of the season. The junior right-hander struck out three and didn't allow a walk in her eighth complete game of the year. The Coyotes' only run of the game came on an error by Ferrari in the fourth inning.
East Bay opened the scoring in the top of the third inning. After
Mishka Hamor reached on a fielder's choice,
Kassandra Winger singled to center to put two on with one out for
Jamie Yaller, whose fielder's choice moved Hamor over to third.
Emily Montanez followed with a two-out single to center to bring in the game's first run and give the Pioneers a 1-0 lead.
Tied 1-1 through four innings, East Bay regained the lead in the top of the fifth inning, stringing together a pair of singles by Hamor and Yaller to bring in another run and put the Pioneers up 2-1.
That lead was enough for Ferrari, but Cal State East Bay added an insurance run in the top of the seventh inning to secure the victory. The nine, one and two hitters were at it again, as Hamor reached on an error and Winger singled to put two on for Yaller. The junior shortstop grounded out and moved the runners over before Montanez reached on an error and brought in Hamor to give the Pioneers their final 2-1 lead.
Hamor, Winger, Yaller and Montanez accounted for five of the Pioneers' six hits in the game and scored or drove in all three runs. Hamor finished 1-for-3 and scored all three runs, while Montanez went 1-for-4 with two RBI in game one.
Game two was a different story for both teams, as Cal State San Bernardino got off on the right foot, scoring four of their seven runs in the first three innings, while starter Cassidy Lee posted a complete game shutout and allowed just five East Bay hits.
After allowing four runs in the first three innings, Pioneer starter
Kelly Lowe allowed just two hits in her final two innings of work and was replaced after allowing just one earned run on six hits while walking five and striking out three.
The Coyotes added another three runs in the sixth inning to seal the victory and give Lee her 11th win of the season. Lee struck out four and allowed just five hits in seven innings of work. Lowe took the loss to drop to 8-7 on the year.
Nikki Freiberg led the Pioneers with two of their five hits in game two.
Cal State East Bay returns to action tomorrow when it meets Cal State San Bernardino in another doubleheader to close out the four-game series. The Pioneers and Coyotes are set for an 11 a.m. first pitch at Coyote Park.
