HAYWARD, Calif. --- Following a bye week from CCAA play, the Pioneer softball team will resume action this week with six games. On March 27, the Pioneers will host Academy of Art in a non-conference doubleheader, with first pitch is scheduled for noon. East Bay will resume CCAA action on March 29-30 with a four-game series at Cal State San Bernardino. The series will begin on Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. and will conclude on Sunday with an 11 a.m. doubleheader.

“The bye week could not have come at a better time for us,” Pioneer head coach Barbara Pierce said. “We needed some time to get healthy.” I am excited to go into this week full speed.”

The Pioneers just completed a stretch in which they played the top five teams in the CCAA in five straight weeks. Humboldt State, Sonoma State, Chico State, UC San Diego, and Cal State Monterey Bay have combined for a 103-53 record this season. This week, East Bay will be facing Academy of Art and Cal State San Bernardino, with a combined record of 19-40.

“Every team on our schedule has a history of success, even if they have had a tough stretch lately,” Pierce said. “Also, at the NCAA DII level in California, I have learned that any team, on any day, can give you their best. There are too many talented athletes in this area to overlook anybody. I am excited to give them our best and see what happens.”

PIONEER PREVIEW
The Pioneers are 5-15 in CCAA play and 7-19 for the season. Currently, they're tied for ninth place in the CCAA. Taryn Thomas, who has safely in 17 of her last 19 games, is the team's top hitter with a .370 batting average. Thomas has three three-hit games this season, and she's the eighth-leading hitter in the CCAA with a .397 batting average in conference games. Sara Holdridge, who has raised her average to .338, leads the Pioneers with two home runs and 14 RBI. Holdridge, also cracks the CCAA top-10 with a .368 average in conference play.

Chelsie Kakela leads the Pioneers with 14 runs scored, while Shaunna Purkey tops the Pioneers with seven stolen bases. Pitcher Lauren Zweigle is 6-10 with a 2.96 ERA in 20 appearances. Zweigle has 11 complete games and 90 strikeouts in 106.1 innings of work, leading the team in virtually every pitching category. She is second among all CCAA hurlers with 65 strikeouts.

ABOUT ACADEMY OF ART
The Urban Knights are 10-17 overall and 8-10 in the Pacific West Conference. Academy of Art has lost seven of their last eight contests entering this week. Haily MacDonald leads the team in hitting with a .393 batting average. Lauren Stover bats .369 and tops Academy of Art with two home runs and 15 RBI. Kimberly Dauer (5-9) is their top pitcher with a staff-best 51 strikeouts, while Kristin Valdivia has posted two wins and a 2.52 ERA.

ABOUT CAL STATE SAN BERNARDINO
The Coyotes (5-15) are currently tied with the Pioneers for ninth place in the CCAA. For the season, they're 9-23. CSUSB snapped a 12-game losing streak with a 12-11 extra-inning victory over Dixie State in the second game of a doubleheader on Monday. Britney Butler leads all CCAA hitters with a .493 batting average and recently broke a school record with her 42nd career home run. Alyssa Flores is the third-leading hitter in the CCAA at .444. Kaitlyn Randall paces the Coyote pitching staff with five victories and 60 strikeouts on the year.

UPCOMING GAMES
Following this week, the Pioneers will be competing in the annual Mizuno Tournament of Champions, hosted by Cal State Stanislaus on April 5-7.