Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
Game 1 box | Game 2 box

HAYWARD, Calif. - The Cal State East Bay softball team suffered a doubleheader sweep at the hands of Sonoma State, coming up just short in a 9-7 loss in game one before being two-hit in a 9-0 shutout in game two on Friday. The Pioneers (9-9, 3-7 CCAA) made a late comeback in the opener, scoring three runs in the final two innings, but could not overcome four errors in the game, while the Seawolves took a no-hitter into the sixth in game two.

Game 1: Sonoma State 9, Cal State East Bay 7
The Seawolves got out to an early 1-0 lead thanks to a two-out homer from Vanessa Currie, but East Bay answered right back in the bottom of the inning, scoring a pair. Taryn Thomas led off with a single before Jamie Yaller doubled down the left field line to put runners on first and third for Taylor Neumann, who singled to left to bring in Thomas. With two outs, Yaller came in on an illegal pitch before starter Ciara Becerril got out of the inning with East Bay leading 2-1. The Seawolves took advantage of two errors in the top of the second to tie the game at two.

Sonoma State added on four runs in the bottom of the third thanks to a grandslam to center field from Shannon Kehr that put it up 6-2. Taylor Neumann responded with a homerun of her own in the bottom of the third, plating two runs after Yaller doubled with one out. Leading 6-4, Sonoma State tacked on another run in the fourth, putting together two hits and getting a sacrifice fly from Skylynn Myers to increase its lead to three. The Seawolves pushed the lead to five after again taking advantage of a Pioneer error to score another two runs in the fifth before taking a 9-4 lead into the sixth.

Neumann sparked an East Bay rally in the bottom of the sixth inning with a leadoff homer, her second of the game, before Sara Holdridge followed with her own solo shot to right center to cut the lead to just three. Devin Salmones continued the streak with a single and Devon Mercurio moved her over before Heidi McAllister sent a pinch-hit single into center field to bring in the third run of the inning and bring East Bay within two runs. After a scoreless top of the seventh, the Pioneers threatened against Samantha Lipperd, who came on in relief, but could not get past her as she picked up the save with one inning of one-hit softball.

Becerril picked up the win, allowing seven runs on 10 hits in six innings of work. Lauren Zweigle took the loss after allowing six runs on four hits. Neumann finished the game 3-for-4 with two runs and four RBI, while Yaller was 3-for-4 at the plate and scored two runs.

Game 2: Sonoma State 9, Cal State East Bay 0
The story of game two was Lipperd, who started in the circle for the Seawolves and took a no-hitter into the sixth inning. Lipperd struck out eight and allowed just two hits, while facing just six over the minimum in seven innings of work to pick up her seventh win of the season. For the Pioneers, Kelly Lowe made the start and battled with Lipperd to a scoreless tie through three innings before Sonoma State got a three-run homer from Ali Palermo in the fourth to break open the game.

The Seawolves were back at it again in the top of the fifth, stringing together four hits, including a three-run homer from Kehr, who went deep for the second time, to score four runs and take a 7-0 lead through five innings. In the bottom of the sixth, the Pioneers broke up Lipperd's no-no and threatened to score after Nicole Adair reached on an error and Thomas followed with a bunt single to put two on with no outs, but Lipperd settled and struck out a pair to get out of the inning. Leading 7-0, Sonoma State tacked on another two runs in the top of the seventh on a two-RBI single from Palermo, who drove in five of the Seawolves' nine runs in the game. Trailing 9-0 going into their last at-bat, the Pioneers tried to put together a rally, as McAllister led off with a single and Salmones walked to put two on but Lipperd again got out of the inning to finish off the victory.

Cal State East Bay returns to action to finish out the four-game series with Sonoma State on Saturday. The two teams are set to start the doubleheader at 12 p.m. tomorrow at Pioneer Softball Field.