Box Score OAKLAND — The Pioneer baseball team cruised to a 16-2 win over Holy Names at Laney College on Friday, improving its non-conference record to 8-0. Cal State East Bay (20-8, 12-8 CCAA) grabbed an early lead and then piled on with a nine-run eighth inning, making a winner of senior starter Ben O'Bryan (3-2). The Pioneers banged out 19 hits against the Hawks (9-15, 6-8 PacWest), including four from Kyle Zozaya, who had a career day with seven RBI and tied a Pioneer record with three doubles.

East Bay jumped out to a 3-0 lead after five batters this afternoon, giving O'Bryan some runs to work with from the outset. The Pioneers loaded the bases with one out for Zozaya, who belted a three-run double into the right-center gap. The senior third baseman also knocked in the fourth run two innings later. After Jordan Wilder led off the inning by walking, stealing second, and stealing third, Zozaya laced another opposite-field hit to make it 4-0.

O'Bryan then allowed an unearned run in the bottom of the third. The leadoff man reached on an infield error and came around to score on a two-out double. The Pioneer right-hander was able to bear down after that and hold the Hawks at bay for the next three frames.

The score remained fairly close at 4-1 until the seventh, when East Bay tacked on two more runs. Zozaya lined a one-out double into the gap, and freshman David Elzig followed with a triple to the wall in left-center, his first career three-bagger. David Castillo then shot a base hit through the ride side to make it 6-1 Pioneers.

O'Bryan lasted seven innings, allowed one earned run on four hits, and struck out seven. The senior has now started all eight series openers for the Pioneers, and the team is 6-2 in those games.

Once he exited, the East Bay offense turned the game into a blowout in the eighth, posting their biggest scoring output in a single inning this season. With one out, Brandon Alexander doubled, Eren Miravalles singled, and Bryson Nakamura walked to load the bases. Zozaya then cleared the bags again, stroking his second three-run double of the game. After a walk, Castillo drilled a double into left-center to make the score 10-2.

But the Pioneers weren't done. Cory Hearne got a base hit up the middle to plate another run, and then pinch-hitter Roger Luna walked with two outs to re-load the bases. That brought up Alexander, who proceeded to launch his team-leading third home run of the year, a grand slam that made it 15-2, capping off the rout. The junior right fielder had two hits and six total bases just in the eighth inning.

Chris Porter drove in the final Pioneer run with an RBI double down the left field line in the ninth. Left-hander Bryce Vidmar pitched a perfect eighth inning in relief. Senior Zachary Wong followed with a hitless ninth, striking out two, to close out the victory.

11 different Pioneer batters got hits in this game. Zozaya led the way, finishing 4-for-6 with two runs and seven RBI. He's the eighth player in East Bay history to record three doubles in a game. Alexander was on base four times, as well, going 2-for-4 with two walks, a homer, a double, three runs, and four RBI.

Castillo also had a big game with three hits and two runs driven in. Miravalles finished 2-for-6, scoring a pair of runs, and Charlie Sharrer went 2-for-5 out of the leadoff spot. Wilder was on base three times, going 1-for-2 with two walks and two runs. He was replaced late in the game by Nakamura, who batted twice, got a hit and a walk, and scored both times.

Elzig was 1-for-2 with a walk to go along with his triple and also scored a pair of runs. Naea Kalehuawehe got the start a first base and drew a pair of walks. All in all, the Pioneers racked up 10 walks in this game, a season high, and only struck out three times.

This three-game series concludes tomorrow with a doubleheader at Pioneer Field starting at 11 a.m. Junior Sean Becker (5-1) is expected to get the start for East Bay.