Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. -- Freshman pitcher Kelsey Cairns hurled a complete game, leading the Pioneer women's softball team to a 7-4 victory over Cal State San Bernardino in the second game of Friday's doubleheader. The Coyotes topped the Pioneers 8-1 in the first game. East Bay remains tied with the Coyotes for ninth place in the CCAA; both teams own a 6-16 record. Cal State East Bay is now 10-20 overall for the season, while Cal State San Bernardino stands at 10-24 for the season.

Game 1 -- CSUSB 8, CSUEB 1

In game one of the doubleheader, the Pioneers had an opportunity to grab an early lead, but stranded two runners on base in the first inning. The Coyotes got on the scoreboard first with two runs in the bottom of the second. Pinch runner Na'Tavia Lee scored on a wild pitch, and then Jamie Leffingwell came home on a Pioneer error.

Alyssa Flores had a two-run single off Pioneer starting pitcher Lauren Zweigle as the Coyotes extended their lead to four runs in the bottom of the third. 

East Bay cut into the Coyotes' lead with a run in the top of the fifth. Emily Montanez broke up Kaitlyn Randall's no-hitter with a single to open the inning. Then with one out, Meli Sanchez doubled to drive in Montanez. Unfortunately, that was all the Pioneers would get.

After the Coyotes scored a run in the bottom of the fifth to increase their lead to 5-1, East Bay attempted to get back in the game in the top of the sixth. With two outs, Sara Holdridge and Chelsie Kakela reached base via walks, but Randall got the final out to end the Pioneer scoring threat. 

San Bernardino rounded out the scoring with three runs in the bottom of the sixth. Zweigle (7-11) took the loss for East Bay. She and Andi Anderson each pitched three innings.

Game 2 -- CSUEB 7, CSUSB 4

Cairns, pitching her first game of the season, held the Coyotes to four runs while scattering 11 hits. She had one walk and a strikeout in a seven-inning complete game.

“Kelsey gave us a big shot in the arm with her performance today,” Pioneer Head Coach Barbara Pierce said. “For a freshman to pitch a complete game against a good hitting team like Cal State San Bernardino is huge.”

East Bay matched a season-high with 12 hits. Vika Kafoa led the way with three hits in four plate appearances. Nicole Adair was 2-for-3 at the plate with three RBI.

“Vika made the most of her plate appearances, while Nicole came up with some timely hits and a great defensive play in the win,” Pierce said.

The Coyotes took an early 1-0 lead in the second game with a run in the bottom of the first inning. With two outs, Monica Ferguson doubled to drive in Darian Manuz, who had opened the frame with a single.

East Bay sanswered back, erupting for five runs in the top of the third. Sara Pacioni had an infield single to open the inning. Sanchez reached on a fielder's choice, then Lauren Vestal doubled to drive in Pacioni. After Mandy Dale reached on a fielder's choice to load the bases, Nicole Adair followed the biggest hit of the game, a bases-clearing triple. Taryn Thomas then drove in Adair with a single for the team's fifth run of the inning.

The Coyotes cut into the Pioneer lead with a run in the bottom of the third. An inning later, Cairns faced her toughest challenge when the Coyotes loaded the bases with one out in the fourth. She rose to the occasion by retiring the Coyotes' top hitters, Britney Butler and Flores, to end the scoring threat.

Kafoa drove in Adair with a single as the Pioneers extended their lead to 6-2 in the fifth inning. Jacqueline Lopez and Alyssa Ramos followed with a run-scoring single each for San Bernardino in the bottom of the fifth, trimming the Pioneers' lead to 6-4.

CSUEB had two runners aboard in the top of the sixth inning, but were unable to extend their advantage. In turn, the Coyotes had two runners on base with two outs in the bottom of the sixth, but Cairns got Jacqueline Lopez to ground out, ending the rally.

Pinch-runner Allison Noble scored on a Sanchez fielder's choice, as the Pioneers added a big insurance run in the top of the seventh. In the bottom of the seventh, Adair made a huge defensive play, robbing Victoria Lievanos of a home run to open the inning. Cairns was able to get the last two outs to secure the victory.

“The second game victory will give us momentum going into Saturday's doubleheader with San Bernardino,” Pierce said.

The four-game series will conclude on Saturday with an 11:00 a.m. doubleheader at Coyote Field.