Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 HAYWARD, Calif. – The Pioneers received two solid outings from pitchers Lauren Zweigle and Andi Andersen in a non-conference doubleheader sweep over Academy of Art by identical 3-2 scores on Wednesday.
 
With the sweep, the Pioneers snap a five-game losing streak, and improve their overall record to 9-19. Academy of Art stands at 10-19 for the season.
 
“These were huge wins coming off the bye week,” Pioneer Head Coach Barbara Pierce said. “Our pitchers stepped up today, and as a team, we gained momentum going into CCAA play this weekend.
 
Zweigle improved to 7-10 with the victory in the first game. In her 12^th complete game of the season, Zweigle allowed two runs, one earned, on three hits, two walks and three strikeouts.
 
East Bay struck early with two runs in the bottom of the first. With two outs and the bases loaded, Emily Montanez singled down the leftfield line to drive in Nicole Adair and Chelsie Kakela.  Zweigle held the Urban Knights hitless in the first three innings.
 
Lauren Stover got Academy of Art on the scoreboard in the top of the fourth with her third home run of the season. The Urban Knights would push across an unearned run in the top of the sixth to tie the game.
 
The Pioneers won the first game with a run in the bottom of the seventh.  With one out, Lauren Vestal walked, and advanced to second on a bunt single by Mandy Dale. Taryn Thomas followed with a single to load the bases. Adair belted a 3-2 pitch for a base hit to score Vestal with the winning run.
 
In the second game, Andersen yielded two runs, one earned on five hits, one walk, and four strikeouts in going the distance. Thomas was 3-for-4 at the plate, while Sara Pacioni had a pair of hits with a run scored in the game two victory.
 
The game was scoreless until the Pioneers scored a run in the bottom of the fourth. Pacioni singled and came around to score on a single by Dale.
 
After the Urban Knights tied the game in the top of the fifth, the Pioneers answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning. Kakela opened the inning with a single, and went to third on a Sara Holdridge double. With one out, Montanez singled up the middle to score Kakela. Holdridge reached home plate when pinch runner Shaunna Purkey stole second.
 
Academy of Art made things interesting in the top of the seventh. With one out, Jasmine Dickenson singled to right center. Jessica Marin followed with a double, putting runners at second and third. Alyssa Hickey grounded out to score Dickenson. The Urban Knights left the tying run at third as Andersen got Julie Martin to ground out to third.
 
The Pioneers will resume CCAA play with a four-game series at Cal State San Bernardino on March 29-30. “If we play the way we're capable of playing, and keep the momentum going, our team should do well against Cal State San Bernardino this weekend,” Pierce said.