Game 1 box | Game 2 box

SEASIDE, Calif. – The Pioneer baseball team is back on the winning track following a doubleheader sweep over Cal State Monterey Bay on April 1. The scores were 7-5 and 3-1. 

With the doubleheader sweep, the Pioneers improve to 5-14 in CCAA play and 11-18 overall. Cal State Monterey Bay stands at 9-14 in the CCAA and 16-17 for the season.

In the first game, the Pioneers overcame an early 5-1 deficit to earn the victory and snap a six-game losing streak.

The Pioneers cut the Otters lead to 5-4 with three runs in the top of the fifth. With one out, Bryce Miller singled, for his fourth hit in 12 plate appearances. Brett Hall followed with a double. Andrew Woolfe hit his fourth home run of the season.

East Bay took the lead for good with two runs in the top of the sixth inning. David Castillo singled to knock in Eddie Rettagliata with the tying run. Castillo scored the go-ahead run on an Otters' error.

Reliever Felipe Carvajal (1-0) came in the bottom of the sixth with two runners on base and one out and proceeded to strikeout two Otter hitters to preserve the Pioneer lead.

The Pioneers added an insurance run in the top of the seventh as Rettagliata doubled to drive in Kyle Zozaya.

Zachary Wong hurled the last two innings of scoreless ball to earn his first save of the season.

Woolfe drove in four runs while Brett Hall was 3-for-5 at the plate with three runs scored. Zozaya, Rettagliata, Miller and Tanner Laran all had two hits as the Pioneers pounded out a season-high 16 hits. 

Ben O'Bryan battled and kept us in the game while our relievers did a tremendous job in the first game,” Pioneer coach Bob Ralston said. “Offensively, we came up with 16 hits including Woolfe's three-run homer.

Pitcher AJ Gallardo improved to 4-0 and lowered his season ERA to 0.70 as the Pioneers completed the doubleheader sweep with the game two victory.

Gallardo hurled his third complete game of the season as he allowed no earned runs on four hits and five strikeouts. He held the Otters hitless in the last four innings.

“AJ pitched another outstanding game,” Ralston said. “We played good defense behind him and came up with some clutch hits.”

The Otters scored an unearned run in the bottom of the first inning to take a 1-0 advantage.

Woolfe opened the fourth with a single and later scored on a Zozaya sacrifice fly as the Pioneers evened the score.

The Pioneers broke the tie with two runs in the top of the fifth inning. Woolfe, who ended the doubleheader with six RBIs, hit a ball in the outfield that was lost in the sun allowing Castillo and Charlie Sharrer to score.

“It's great to get back on the winning track,” Ralston said. “We have a chance tomorrow to win our first CCAA series of the season.”

The four-game series will conclude with a single game on April 2 at Pioneer Field. The first pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.