Game 1 box | Game 2 box 

HAYWARD, Calif. – Despite leading 1-0 through five innings in game two, the Cal State East Bay softball team could not hold off a late comeback by No. 10 UC San Diego in a 2-1 loss to cap a Friday doubleheader at Pioneer Softball Field. The Pioneers (23-26, 13-21 CCAA) allowed just five hits in game two but could not keep the Tritons off the board in the nightcap, giving UCSD the doubleheader sweep after it posted a 12-2 victory in game one to open the four-game series.

In game one, a rocky top of the first inning saw Talia Ferrari allow a pair of runs on illegal pitches. The Pioneers responded in the bottom of the first however, as Kassandra Winger worked a lead-off walk and Taylor Neumann blasted an 0-2 pitch over the fence in left center to tie things up 2-2.

Ferrari got into another jam in the top of the second, loading the bases before a single down the left field line from Mya Romero brought in two runs to put the Tritons up 4-2. Another single down the line brought in the third UCSD run of the inning and knocked Ferrari from the game in favor of Catherine Schorn, who got the final out to send the game into the bottom of the second with the Tritons leading 5-2.

After a scoreless third that saw Schorn get out of a bases loaded situation, UCSD extended its lead with a leadoff homer from Caitlin Brown in the top of the fourth. Schorn tossed another pair of scoreless innings, but was matched by Triton starter Camille Gaito, who shut down the Pioneers and allowed just two hits after Neumann's homerun in the first.

Leading 6-2, UC San Diego exploded for six runs in the top of the seventh inning after putting together four hits and knocking Schorn from the game. Heidi McAllister came on to finish the inning, but the damage was done and reliever Jennifer Manuel sat the Pioneers down in order to finish off the game and give the Tritons a 12-2 victory.

Gaito allowed just two runs on three hits in six innings of work to pick up her 23rd victory of the season. Ferrari took the loss after giving up five runs on seven hits in 1.2 innings of work. Neumann finished 1-for-3 at the plate, driving in both Pioneer runs with her sixth homer of the season.

In a pitcher's duel in game two, Pioneer starter Kelly Lowe and UCSD hurler Jennifer Manuel each tossed three scoreless innings before McAllister hit a solo homerun to straightaway centerfield to score the game's first run and give East Bay a 1-0 lead through four innings.

Lowe was lights out through five innings, allowing just two hits and shutting out the Tritons. UC San Diego finally broke through in the top of the sixth inning, plating a pair of runs on a pinch-hit single from Charly Swanberg to take a late 2-1 advantage.

A one-run lead was all that Gaito – who came on in relief in the fifth inning – needed, as she shut down the Pioneers in the final two innings. Though East Bay put a runner in scoring position in the bottom of the seventh, Gaito struck out her fifth batter in just 2.1 innings of work to give the Tritons the sweep and clinch the first CCAA regular season title in program history for UC San Diego.

Despite allowing just one run on four hits in 4.2 innings, Manuel ended up with the no-decision, while Gaito shut out the Pioneers, allowing just two hits and striking out five to pick up her 24th victory of the season and second win of the day. Lowe allowed just two runs on five hits in seven innings while striking out five to drop to 9-8 on the year.

McAllister scored East Bay's lone run in the game, going 1-for-3 with an RBI thanks to her second homerun of the season, while Winger accounted for two of the Pioneers' six hits in game two.

Cal State East Bay will be back in action tomorrow to wrap up the four-game series and the 2011 campaign against UC San Diego. Prior to the game, the Pioneers will honor their four seniors – Winger, Schorn, Nikki Freiberg and Dani Foster – who will play their final doubleheader in the East Bay uniform. The festivities are set to get underway shortly before the 11 a.m. scheduled first pitch on Saturday at Pioneer Softball Field.