Box Score HAYWARD, Calif. — The Pioneer baseball team picked up a much-needed win at home on Friday, topping Cal State Dominguez Hills (19-19, 15-14 CCAA) by a score of 5-2 in the series opener. Cal State East Bay (25-14, 15-14 CCAA) snaps a four-game skid with the victory and improves to 20-4 at Pioneer Field.
East Bay starting pitcher
Matt Fontaine (3-1) tossed a complete game to pick up the win. The senior allowed no earned runs on four hits and a walk, notching a season-high 10 strikeouts. Toro ace Sean Wardour (6-4) went the distance as well, surrendering five runs on four hits with five walks and five punchouts.
“Fontaine clutched up for us today,” said head coach
Bob Ralston after the game. “We needed him to go deep into the game, and he delivered with a four-hitter against a good offense. Dominguez is a really athletic team, this was a big win.”
Senior catcher
David Castillo helped the Pioneers jump on the board first in the second inning. Fellow senior
Charlie Sharrer led off with a ground-rule double to the wall in left-center, and he advanced to third on
Jordan Wilder's fly out. Castillo then chopped a grounder towards the middle, picking up the RBI as Sharrer came across to score.
The following inning, the Pioneers got all the runs they would need. With one out,
Andrew Rodriguez walked,
Eren Miravalles laid down a great bunt and beat it out for an infield hit, and
Brandon Alexander reached on an error by the pitcher. With the bases loaded,
Kyle Zozaya muscled a single over the shortstop's head to make it 2-0 Pioneers. Sharrer knocked in another run with a ground out, and when the Toros tried to turn a double play, a throwing error allowed Miravalles to cross the plate. After a passed ball, Wilder capped off the inning with an RBI single up the middle.
East Bay would not get a single hit off Wardour the rest of the game, but the 5-0 lead turned out to plenty for Fontaine. The Pioneers gave back a run in the fourth when Ivory Thomas singled to center, stole second and third, and scored on an error by the shortstop. After Fontaine struck out the side in the fifth, the Toros picked up another run in the sixth on three consecutive East Bay errors.
The Pioneers committed four defensive miscues in the game, but it didn't end up hurting them, as Fontaine retired nine of the last ten batters to lock down the victory. The teams each recorded just four hits, with only one coming after the fifth inning.
Zozaya, Sharrer, and Wilder each finished with a hit and an RBI. Sharrer scored twice and stole a bag. Chuvala was on base two times with a pair of walks.
The series continues on Saturday with a doubleheader at Pioneer Field. The Pioneers are expected to send junior
Sean Becker (6-2, 1.88 ERA) to the mound in the first game, which starts at 11 a.m. The teams will then play a seven-inning game, starting about a half hour after the first one finishes.
