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

MCKINLEYVILLE, Calif. – The Cal State East Bay softball team scored 20 runs and got an outstanding pitching performance to sweep Humboldt State, 9-8 and 11-3, on Saturday. The Pioneers (29-20, 15-15 CCAA) took advantage of four Jacks errors on the day and used a pair of big innings and high quality pitching from Lauren Zweigle to earn the sweep.

Game 1: Cal State East Bay 9, Humboldt State 8
With Humboldt State leading the league in runs and the Pioneers sitting in third in that category, it was no surprise that the two teams combined to score 17 runs in the opener. The Jacks opened scoring right away, getting a solo homer in the bottom of the first to take a 1-0 lead. The scoring continued in the bottom of the second when HSU got to starter Talia Ferrari for five runs. With two outs, the Jacks put together four straight hits, including a two-run homer that knocked Ferrari from the game in favor of Heidi McAllister and gave them a 6-0 advantage.

The Pioneers broke through in the top of the third, getting their first hit of the game and scoring a pair of runs. Emily Montanez led off the inning with a single before Devon Mercurio executed the sacrifice bunt to put a runner on second with one out. Mishka Hamor followed with a single through the left side and Montanez then scored on a passed ball. After Taryn Thomas was hit by a pitch, McAllister helped out her own cause with a single down the left field line to bring in Hamor and cut the HSU lead to four, 6-2.

The Jacks went without a hit for the first time in the bottom of the third and East Bay took advantage in the top of the fourth. After Sara Holdridge reached on an error to lead off the inning, Devin Salmones followed with a two-run homer to pull the Pioneers within two. Two outs later, Hamor reached on a fielder's choice and Thomas singled to put two on for McAllister. The pitcher reached on the second HSU error of the inning, which also brought in Hamor to make it a 6-5 game. Jamie Yaller kept the rally alive with a double to score Thomas and tie things up at six. After an intentional walk for Taylor Neumann, Holdridge batted again and drove in another pair to give East Bay an 8-6 lead before the Jacks could end the inning.

The Pioneers were back at it again after McAllister sat down the Jacks in order in the bottom of the fourth. Montanez led off with her third hit of the game and Mercurio successfully laid down her second sacrifice bunt to put a runner on second for Hamor. The center fielder singled to center to bring in the run and put East Bay up 9-6 through four and a half innings.

Though the Jacks scored a run in both the fifth and sixth innings, Lauren Zweigle came on to hold onto the lead and pick up the save with 1.1 innings of one-hit softball. Zweigle earned her team-leading third save of the season, striking out a pair to help East Bay earn its 28th victory of the year.

McAllister earned her third win in her third appearance in the circle, allowing two runs on five hits in four innings of work. At the plate, Montanez went 3-for-4 with two runs and Hamor scored a pair and drove in one while going 2-for-4. Both Holdridge and Salmones posted a pair of RBI, while McAllister and Yaller each finished with a run and an RBI.

Game 2: Cal State East Bay 11, Humboldt State 3 (6 innings)
The Jacks struck first again in game two, notching a run in the bottom of the second inning to take a 1-0 lead. The advantage was short-lived, however, as the Pioneers answered in the top of the third. McAllister started things off with a one-out single to center. Yaller followed with a fielder's choice and Neumann singled to put runners on first and third. Holdridge worked a walk to load the bases and Salmones singled to drive in two runs and give the Pioneers a 2-1 lead.

East Bay broke the game open in the fourth, scoring five runs on five hits and taking advantage of two errors. Mercurio and Hamor started the inning off with back-to-back singles before Mercurio was tossed out at third. Thomas followed with a single to put runners on first and third before McAllister reached on an error to bring in the first run of the inning. With two outs, Neumann walked to load the bases and Holdridge singled to drive in three runs. Salmones made it a 7-1 game with a single that drove in Holdridge.

The Jacks answered back in the bottom of the inning, scoring a pair of runs to cut the lead to just four, 7-3. The Pioneers tacked on another pair of runs in the fifth after Mercurio walked to lead things off. Hamor moved her over with a sacrifice bunt and McAllister walked to put two on with no outs for Yaller. The shortstop doubled to right center to bring in both runners and put the Pioneers up 9-3.

Cal State East Bay sealed the run-rule win in the sixth. Holdridge led off with a single and advanced to second on the throw and both Salmones and Montanez followed with a walk. Mercurio then doubled to left center to bring in a pair of runs and take an 11-3 lead. Zweigle then sat the Jacks down in order in the bottom of the sixth to finish off the complete game win.

Zweigle tossed a gem, allowing just three runs on three hits in six innings of work to improve to 8-5 on the year. Salmones and Holdridge both finished with three RBI, while Yaller drove in a pair. McAllister and Neumann both scored two runs and nine players scored at least one run.

Cal State East Bay is set to close out the series with Humboldt State tomorrow. The Pioneers and Jacks will get underway with the first game of the doubleheader at 11 a.m. at McKinleyville High School.