Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 ROHNERT PARK, Calif. — The Pioneer baseball team earned a hard-fought road split today on a drama-filled Saturday against a perennial CCAA contender, 13th-ranked Sonoma State (9-3, 1-1 CCAA). Cal State East Bay (12-5, 5-5 CCAA) erased a six-run deficit with eight runs in the eighth inning to steal game one, 9-6. Brandon Alexander hit a home run and a triple in the victory, which was the first for the Pioneers at Seawolf Diamond and broke a five-game losing streak against SSU.

East Bay scored a pair of late runs to take a 2-1 lead in the seventh (and final) inning of game two, but the Seawolves answered with a run in the bottom of the seventh and another in the eighth to claim the extra-inning win, 3-2.
 
Game 1 — Cal State East Bay 9, Sonoma State 6

The series started off about as badly as it could for game one starter Ben O'Bryan, though much of it wasn't his fault. The Seawolves jumped on the board with five runs in the first inning, taking advantage of a pair of Pioneer miscues. After an error and a hit put two on with one out, Devon Zenn blasted a three-run home run to right field.

Sonoma State loaded the bases again with two outs on walk, a hit, and another error, and they were able to push two more runs across before O'Bryan finally escaped the first inning. He settled in and managed to hold the Seawolves at bay, trading zeroes with SSU starter Harmen Sidhu, who completely shut the Pioneers down through seven frames.

Sonoma tacked on another run in the sixth when O'Bryan hit Steven Filippi leading off the inning, who then stole second and moved up to third on a throwing error. The next batter, Garrett Gooselaw, made it 6-0 with a base hit through the hole. The Seawolves ended up loading the bases, but O'Bryan got out the jam without surrendering any more runs, which would prove to be huge.

O'Bryan left the game after six innings and 108 pitches. He allowed three earned runs on six hits. The senior walked two, struck out four, and didn't factor into the decision after the Pioneer offense let him off the hook in the eighth. Left-hander Billy Wardell replaced him to start the seventh, making just his second appearance of the season. The junior tossed a scoreless inning, stranding two runners after a hit and a walk.

Wardell (1-0), as the pitcher of record, would ultimately earn the first victory of his East Bay career because the Pioneers mounted their biggest rally of the season in the top of the eighth to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. It started when Sidhu finally exited the game after seven dominant innings. The right-hander allowed just one hit and one walk, while fanning 10 Pioneer batters.  

Left-fielder Bryson Nakamura got things started with an opposite-field single to left, then it was the Seawolves' turn for a defensive breakdown. After Kenny Uyetake lined out, the Pioneers put runners on second and third when Zac Chuvala reached on a two-base throwing error. The next batter was Andrew Rodriguez, who plated a seemingly meaningless run with a sacrifice fly to make it 6-1.

East Bay then mounted a devastating two-out rally, scoring seven more runs as eight consecutive Pioneers reached base. Brandon Alexander started by launching a two-run home run over the right field wall to draw them within three. It was the senior's team-leading second homer of the season, though he emptied the bases in the process.

But then reigning West Region Player of the Week Kyle Zozaya reached on an infield single, Jordan Wilder shot a base hit up the middle, Naea Kalehuawehe was hit by a pitch, and all of a sudden the bases were loaded. After the Seawolves once again went to their bullpen, Chris Porter drilled a pinch-hit two-run double to center field, Nakamura reached on an infield error, Uyetake singled into right field, and Chuvala drove a base knock into center. Three Pioneers batted twice in the inning, and when the dust settled, East Bay had stormed all the way back to take an 8-6 lead.

With closer Charlie Sharrer serving the second game of a mandatory four-game suspension after he was ejected for hitting a CSU Stanislaus batter last weekend, head coach Bob Ralston turned to senior Matt Fontaine to try to get the final six outs and secure the win. Fontaine, who has now made three starts and two relief appearances this season, had an adventurous eighth inning. The Seawolves loaded the bases with two outs with the help of a hit and walk, but Fontaine struck out pinch hitter Tyler Glenn on a 3-2 pitch to keep the lead intact.

East Bay tacked on an insurance run in the top of the ninth when Alexander laced a triple into the right field corner to lead things off. Eren Miravalles then pinch hit and laid down a perfect squeeze bunt, bringing home Alexander to make it 9-6 Pioneers.

Fontaine set Sonoma State down in order in the bottom of the ninth, earning his first save in a Pioneer uniform. The senior pitched two scoreless innings, allowed one hit, and struck out three.

Alexander finished 2-for-4 with a home run, a triple, two runs, and two RBI. The right fielder was on base three times in the game and had seven total bases. Nakamura also notched multiple hits, going 2-for-4 and scoring a pair of runs. Porter's two-run double was arguably the biggest hit of the game, and it was the first extra base hit of the junior catcher's East Bay career.

Game 2 — Sonoma State 3, Cal State East Bay 2 (8 innings)

The second game of the doubleheader was scheduled for seven innings, but for the second straight year, these two teams required extras to determine a winner. Michael Pope (4-0) got the start for the Pioneers, having earned victories in each of his four previous outings. Once again, however, the Seawolves got on the board in the very first inning.

Sonoma State put two runners on with one out on a walk and a base hit by Sam Montgomery, the conference's leading hitter entering the weekend. Zenn then picked up the RBI with a single up the middle to make it 1-0 Seawolves.

Pope was outstanding after that, shutting down Sonoma for the next six innings. Unfortunately for the Pioneers, SSU starter Austin Wiggins was even better. The senior allowed just one hit and pitched around three Seawolf errors in five scoreless frames, as Sonoma maintained their 1-0 lead into the sixth inning.

The Pioneers finally got on the board and tied the game with the help of a Seawolf error. A bad hop on Alexander's lead-off grounder to second base put a runner on for East Bay. He advanced to third on a pair of ground outs, and then scored when Nakamura lined a two-out single down the first base line.

Pope threw scoreless sixth, giving the Pioneer offense one more shot in the seventh inning. Uyetake walked on full count to lead off the inning and proceeded to steal second, his first swipe of the season. Chuvala moved him over to third base with a ground out, putting the tying run 90 feet away with out one. After a four-pitch walk to Miravalles, Rodriguez knocked in the go-ahead run with a ground out to second.

The Pioneers were three outs away from sweeping Sonoma on their field, but they allowed the Seawolves to tie the game without getting a hit. Filippi walked on a full count to lead things off, then stole second and advanced to third when the throw went into center field. After another walk, SSU tied the game on a wild pitch by Pope. The Pioneer sophomore was able to get out of the inning, retiring the next two hitters before catcher David Castillo threw out Marcus Kimura trying to steal.

East Bay didn't score in the top of the eighth off Taylor Herbert. Senior Zachary Wong replaced Pope to start the bottom of the inning, making his team-leading sixth relief appearance. Pope ended up throwing seven innings, allowing just one earned run on five hits. He walked three and struck three in his longest outing of 2013.

The Seawolves were able to scratch out a run to win the game in the eighth off Wong. Scott Harkin reached on an infield single to lead off the inning. He moved to second on a wild pitch, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt, and scored on a sac fly to right field off the bat of Scott Fleury. Wong (2-1) took the loss, his first of the season.

Nakamura led the Pioneers offensively, going 2-for-4 with an RBI to raise his season batting average to .429. The senior had a team-leading four hits in the doubleheader, making a big impression in his first two starts of the season. Miravalles was the only other Pioneer to get a hit; the junior was 1-for-1 and reached base three times with a pair of walks.

East Bay concludes its four-games series with Sonoma State tomorrow back at Pioneer Field with doubleheader starting at 11 a.m. Reigning West Region Pitcher of the Week Sean Becker will likely get the start on the mound for the Pioneers in the first game.