Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 HAYWARD, Calif. — The 22nd-ranked Pioneer baseball team (22-8, 12-8 CCAA) won a pair of home games on Saturday to finish off a three-game sweep of Holy Names. Cal State East Bay (22-8, 12-8 CCAA) overcame some shaky defense to defeat the Hawks 8-5 in today's first day. Six pitchers combined to hold Holy Names (9-17, 6-8 PacWest) to one run in the second game, as the Pioneers cruised to an 11-1 win. Senior Charlie Sharrer had a career day, finishing the doubleheader 7-for-8 with two home runs and six RBI.

Game 1 – No. 22 CSUEB 8, Holy Names 5

The Hawks jumped on the board early following Friday's blowout, scoring three unearned runs in the second inning off Pioneer starter Sean Becker. After two errors loaded the bases, Anthony Lazalde cleared them with a three-run double to put Holy Names up 3-0 early.

HNU starter Zach Korte held the Pioneers at bay for a few innings, but the home team was able to start chipping away in the middle innings. David Castillo got them on the board with a run-scoring ground out in the fourth, making it 3-1. An inning later, the Pioneers loaded the bases on three walks, and it was Kyle Zozaya who came up with the big hit. The senior lined a single into left-center to plate a pair of runs and tie the game.

The Hawks answered back, however, against Becker in the top of the sixth. With two outs and no one on base, HNU got a single, a double, and another single to bring two runs home and retake the lead.

The bottom of the sixth was the big inning for East Bay, as the team managed to grab the lead for good. Castillo led off with a walk, then Marcus Williams singled to center field. With one out, Brandon Alexander lifted a two-run double to the warning track in left-center, tying the game at 5-5. After a pitching change, the Pioneers went ahead thanks to a two-out rally. Wilder laced a single to right to bring home Alexander, Zozaya cranked a double into the left-center gap to plate Wilder, and Sharrer laced a single over shortstop, allowing Zozaya to score. When the dust settled, the Pioneers had a five-run inning and an 8-5 lead.

Becker came out after six innings of work. The junior allowed two earned runs on six hits with seven strikeouts and no walks. He picked up his fifth consecutive victory to improve to 6-1 this season.

Left-hander Bryce Vidmar tossed a scoreless seventh inning, allowing one hit. Nick Hudson pitched the eighth and the ninth to lock down the win. The junior right-hander struck out two in two scoreless frames, earning his first save in a Pioneer uniform.

Alexander and Sharrer were both on base four times in the game. Alexander went 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBI, while Sharrer finished 3-for-3 with an RBI of his own. Zozaya knocked in a team-high three runs in a 2-for-4 effort.

Wilder and Castillo both reached base twice on a hit and a walk. Williams, Eren Miravalles, and David Elzig each went 1-for-4.

Game 2 – No. 22 CSUEB 11, Holy Names 1

The second game of the doubleheader was a staff day for the Pioneer pitchers, as six hurlers combined to hold the Hawks to one run on four hits. Junior Chris Schmalz pitched the first inning, getting the first start of his East Bay career. The right-hander turned in a scoreless frame, allowing a hit and recording a strikeout.

The Pioneers grabbed an early lead in the bottom of the first when Alexander got a two-out base hit up to middle to bring home Wilder, who had also singled.  Head coach Bob Ralston turned to Taylor Kruger for the second inning, and the junior right-hander needed just 10 pitches to retire all three batters he faced.

The Hawks were able to tie the game against left-hander Billy Wardell, who got the call for the third inning. He gave up a walk, a stolen base, and an RBI single before retiring the side.

Michael Pope replaced Wardell for the fourth inning with the game still tied 1-1. He faced four batters and got four outs (thanks to a passed ball on strike three), giving the East Bay offense a chance to finally break out.

The Pioneers hung six runs on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth, giving them a lead they would not relinquish. After Zozaya led off with a single, Sharrer blasted a line-drive home run over the left field wall to put East Bay out in front 3-1. Following that, Chris Porter walked, Andrew Rodriguez bunted for a hit, Zac Chuvala knocked in a run with an infield hit, Wilder hit a sacrifice fly to center, Miravalles raked a run-scoring triple into right-center, and Alexander sliced a single to left. East Bay sent 10 batters to the plate in the inning, taking a 7-1 lead.

They tacked on another run in the sixth inning. Ryan Strouse notched the first hit of his Pioneer career with a single up the middle. Kenny Uyetake followed with a double, and then Strouse tagged up and scored when no one covered home on Williams' foul pop-up.

Sharrer accounted for the final three East Bay runs. Leading off the seventh inning, he cranked a towering fly down the left field line that cleared the wall for his second home run of the game. He's the first Pioneer to homer twice in a game since Zozaya (last year against Cal State San Bernardino). With 15 career dingers, Sharrer is now tied for 10th on the all-time Pioneer career list. He added a two-run double to left the next inning to make the score 11-1.

Pope (7-0) tossed four hitless innings, walking two and striking out three, to earn the victory. The sophomore is tied for the CCAA lead with seven wins this year. Senior Zachary Wong pitched a scoreless eighth inning, picking up one strikeout. Sharrer, pitching for the second straight day, closed it out with a perfect ninth.

The East Bay offense totaled 17 hits from 12 different players in the game. Sharrer finished 4-for-5 with five RBI, two runs, and 11 total bases. Alexander went 2-for-3 and also drove in a pair of runs. Uyetake was on base three times, going 2-for-3 with a walk. Porter had a hit and a base on balls, and Cory Hearne drew a pair of walks coming off the bench.

It was an impressive series for the Pioneers bats. Over the course of three games, the team hit .430 with a .504 on-base percentage, led by Sharrer (9-for-13), Alexander (7-for-11), and Zozaya (7-for-13). East Bay finishes the season with a 10-0 record in non-conference games.

It's back to CCAA play next week, as the Pioneers have two huge road trips ahead of them. So far, the team has played 23 of its 30 games at home, posting a record of 19-4. They'll need to take care of business on the road, as well, in order to stay in the thick of the conference race. The Pioneers visit UC San Diego for a four-game series next weekend, with the opener slated for Friday at 6 p.m. under the lights.