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HAYWARD, Calif. – The Cal State East Bay softball team hit three homeruns but came up short against No. 19 Chico State in a doubleheader sweep on Friday at Pioneer Field. The Pioneers (31-22, 17-17 CCAA) made a strong comeback in game one before falling 14-9 and held the Wildcats to just two runs through six innings in an eventual 5-1 loss in game two. 

Game 1: Chico State 14, Cal State East Bay 9
The Wildcats got off to a fast start in the opener, taking advantage of a pair of walks in the first inning with a three-run homer from Diana Payan to take a 3-0 lead. Chico was at it again in the second inning, getting another three-run shot after two walks, this time from Bianca Lopez, making it a 6-0 lead. Chico State added another pair of runs in the top of the third, making the most of two more walks and one hit to take an 8-0 lead through 2.5 innings.

The Pioneers got on the board in the bottom of the third, with Taryn Thomas scoring the first run off of Taylor Neumann's double to right field. Sara Holdridge singled to right advancing Neumann to third and scoring Jamie Yaller. Continuing the rally, Devin Salmones singled to center field advancing pinch runner Heidi McAllister to third and scoring Neuman. Emily Montanez singled to load the bases before Devon Mecurio hit a sacrifice fly to center, allowing McAllister to score and bringing the Pioneer run total to four. An illegal pitch moved Salmones and Montanez over before Chico State ended the rally with a strikeout to send the game into the fourth with the Wildcats leading 8-4.

After Chico State made it a 9-4 game with a run in the top of the fourth, the Pioneers opened up the bottom of the inning with a walk for Thomas. Two outs later Neumann singled to left field to put two on for Holdridge, who hit a three-run blast over the left field fence to cut the lead to just two, 9-7.

After a scoreless fifth, Brittany Wright and Lopez opened up the sixth with back-to-back singles. Both runners advanced a base on a passed ball before Hailey Stockman brought in Wright with a single. Payan then drove in Stockman with an RBI groundout to give the Wildcats an 11-7 lead.

The top of the seventh saw the Wildcats add to their lead, loading the bases before Sam Quadt worked a walk to score a run. Stockman followed with a single down the left field line to make it 14-7.

Determined to leave it all on the field, East Bay battled back in the top of the seventh starting off with a double to right center from Holdridge. Salmones followed with a two-run homer to cut the lead to just five, but Chico State changed pitchers and got out of the inning to pick up the win.

Sam Baker picked up the win to improve to 16-5 on the year. Kelly Lowe took the loss after allowing six runs on two hits in just 1.2 innings of work. Holdridge finished the game perfect at the plate, going 3-for-3 with four RBI and two runs, while Salmones added three RBI and a run after going 2-for-4.

Game 2: Chico State 5, Cal State East Bay 1
After a quick 20-minute interlude, the Pioneers took the field ready to battle back and recover from the game one loss. Talia Ferrari took the mound ready to shut down the Wildcats and she did as much in the first inning, sitting down the Wildcats in order in the first. Chico State starter Jessica McDermott nearly matched Ferrari in the bottom of the inning, allowing a hit before getting out of the inning unscathed.

East Bay took its first lead of the day in the bottom of the second inning when Holdridge hit her second homer of the day, this time a solo shot to bring her season total to 13. The lead was short-lived, however, as Chico State answered back with two runs in the top of the third to take a 2-1 lead.

Pitching with the lead, McDermott settled in, holding the Pioneers scoreless and allowing just one hit over the final five innings of the game. Meanwhile, Ferrari was equally effective through the next four innings before giving up three runs in the top of the seventh to give the Wildcats the 5-1 victory.

Despite dropping to 11-5 on the year with the loss, Ferrari allowed just five runs on 12 hits, forcing Chico State to leave eight runners on the basepath in seven innings. Holdridge was the only Pioneer to score or drive in a run in the game and joined Jamie Yaller and Mishka Hamor as the only East Bay players with hits.

Cal State East Bay will return to action tomorrow when it closes out the series and the regular season with another doubleheader with Chico State. The Pioneers and Wildcats will get underway at 11 a.m. following a brief ceremony to honor the eight East Bay seniors.