HAYWARD, Calif. – Following eight straight CCAA home games, the Pioneer women's softball team will hit the road to face Sonoma State in a four-game this weekend. The four-game series will begin on March 1 with a doubleheader in Rohnert Park beginning at 12:00 p.m. The series will conclude on March 2 with a 12:00 p.m. doubleheader.
PIONEER PREVIEW
The Pioneers are 2-6 in CCAA play and 4-10 for the season. East Bay split a four-game series with Cal State Monterey Bay last weekend. As a team, the Pioneers are hitting .242.
Taryn Thomas, currently on a seven-game hitting streak, is the Pioneers top hitter with a .395 batting average.
Sara Holdridge, a .300 hitter this season, has a team-best seven RBI.
Chelsie Kakela is hitting .297 with three doubles and two triples. Kakela has a team-best .486 slugging percentage.
Sara Pacioni is hitting .256 for the season.
Shaunna Purkey leads the Pioneers with six stolen bases, including a big steal in the bottom of the 10th inning in a Pioneer victory over Cal State Monterey Bay last Saturday.
Pitcher
Lauren Zweigle is 3-5 with a 3.21 ERA in 11 appearances. Zweigle has six complete games and 55 strikeouts. In three starts against Cal State Monterey Bay over the weekend, Zweigle compiled a 2-1 record, a 1.33 ERA, two complete games, and 17 strikeouts.
“We're starting to put it together as team,” Pioneer Head Coach
Barbara Pierce said. “The season is a marathon and our main focus is to get better each week.”
ABOUT SONOMA STATE
Sonoma State is 5-3 in the CCAA and 10-5 overall. The Seawolves have posted a 5-1 record at home. As a team, Sonoma State is hitting .308, while the pitching staff has compiled a 1.80 ERA. Ali Palermo leads the Seawolves in hitting (.404), hits (19), doubles (7) home runs (5), RBI (16), and slugging percentage (.872). Hayley Condon is hitting .395, while Keisi Chinen has a .341 batting average in 41 plate appearances. Pitcher Samantha Lipperd is 6-2 with a 1.91 ERA and 65 strikeouts.
“Sonoma State is one of the top teams in the CCAA,” Pierce said. “They're strong in all areas and feature a great pitcher in senior Samantha Lipperd. With our pitcher
Lauren Zweigle moving the ball around the plate, and our hitters taking better at bats, we'll be ready for Sonoma State.”
UPCOMING GAMES
Following the four-game series with Sonoma State, the Pioneers will return home to take on UC San Diego in a four-game series beginning with a March 8 doubleheader.
