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

LA JOLLA, Calif. – The Cal State East Bay softball team notched its second win over a ranked opponent this season, claiming a 5-2 extra-inning win, to post a split with No. 14 UC San Diego on the first day of the four-game series. The Pioneers (17-15, 9-13 CCAA) allowed just two hits in the opener, but fell to the Tritons, 3-0, before bouncing back to post the game-two victory in eight innings.

Game 1: UC San Diego 3, Cal State East Bay 0
The Pioneers were shutout for just the fifth time this season, out-hitting the Tritons but stranding five runners on the basepaths. East Bay pitchers Kelly Lowe and Lauren Zweigle combined to hold UCSD to just two hits and two earned runs, with Zweigle tossing a shutout sixth for the Pioneers. The stellar pitching wasn't enough, however, as the Tritons took advantage of six walks and an error to bring in their three runs.

UCSD took an early lead after getting a double, a sacrifice bunt and a sac fly to open scoring in the bottom of the first. Though Lowe held the Tritons scoreless over the next four innings, UC San Diego starter Camille Gaito, who tossed a complete game in the shutout win, stifled the Pioneers never allowing more than one hit in an inning and walking none through six innings.

The Tritons scored a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth thanks to an infield single and an East Bay error. The Pioneers looked set to get on the board in their last ups, however, getting back-to-back singles from Taylor Neumann and Sara Holdridge before Gaito got three straight groundouts to end the threat and pick up her 15th win of the season.

Despite allowing just one hit and two earned runs, Lowe took the loss to drop to 5-5 on the year. Taryn Thomas led the Pioneers at the plate with two hits, while Devin Salmones and Devon Mercurio joined Neumann and Holdridge with East Bay's only other hits.

Game 2: Cal State East Bay 5, UC San Diego 2 (8 innings)
East Bay got off to a quick start in game two, scoring its first run of the series in the top of the second inning. After Holdridge worked a walk to lead off the inning, Nicole Adair came on to run for her and Salmones laid down a bunt to move Adair over to second. Emily Montanez followed with a single down the left field line to plate Adair and give the Pioneers a 1-0 lead. Though the Tritons tried to answer in the bottom of the second, East Bay starter Talia Ferrari got out of a jam and forced UCSD to leave two runners on.

The Pioneers added another run in the top of the fourth. After Neumann singled through the left side, Adair reached on an error to put runners on first and second for Salmones. The left fielder took advantage, singling to right to bring in Neumann. With two on and no outs, East Bay looked set to score again, but UC San Diego brought in Michelle Escamilla to pitch and she got a pair of groundballs and a lineout to get the Tritons out of the jam.

UC San Diego answered back in the bottom of the fourth cutting the East Bay lead to just one after taking advantage of an error, two hits and two walks. Trailing 2-1, the Tritons added another run and knocked Ferrari from the game in favor of Zweigle in the bottom of the sixth, tying the game 2-2.

Though UCSD threatened to score in the bottom of the seventh, putting two runners on with one out before Zweigle got out of the jam to send the game into extra innings. The Pioneers wasted no time in extras, scoring three runs in the top of the eighth. Thomas singled to lead off the inning before Ferrari reached on an error to put two on with one out for Neumann, who singled up the middle to bring around Thomas as the go-ahead run. The Pioneers didn't stop there, however, as Salmones walked to load the bases with two outs. Montanez followed with her second RBI single of the game, driving in both Ferrari and Neumann to give East Bay the 5-2 lead.

Zweigle gave up one hit in the bottom of the eighth but held the Tritons scoreless to earn the victory after tossing 2.1 innings of shutout two-hit softball to pick up the win. The junior improved to 4-4 on the year and finished the day allowing just three hits in 3.1 innings of work.

Ferrari allowed just two runs on seven hits in 5.2 innings of work for East Bay. Both Montanez and Neumann went 2-for-4 to lead the Pioneers at the plate, with Montanez driving in a pair of runs and Neumann scoring twice and driving in another.

Cal State East Bay and UC San Diego will meet again tomorrow to close out the series with another doubleheader. The Pioneers and Tritons are set to get underway at 11 a.m. on Tuesday in La Jolla.