Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 SEASIDE, Calif. -- A three-run ninth inning rally by the Cal State East Bay baseball team was the difference in a 7-4 victory over Cal State Monterey Bay in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader. The Otters (14-23, 9-18 CCAA) defended their home field and edged out the Pioneers (19-16, 13-14 CCAA) in the second game by a score of 3-2. Marcus Williams had a huge day for CSUEB, going 4-for-7 with three RBI

All three starting pitchers have thrown complete games for East Bay so far this weekend after both Sean Becker and Ben O'Bryan went the distance this afternoon. The Pioneers will attempt to take three out of four when the series returns to Hayward for Sunday's finale at 12 p.m.

Game 1 -- CSUEB 7, CSUMB 4

The Pioneers set the tone in the top of the first with a pair of runs against Otter starter Josh Eagle. Kelly Starnes walked and stole second, and Brandon Alexander brought him home with a single. After a hit by Jason Fletcher, Alexander scored on a wild pitch.

CSUMB came back with a run in the bottom of the inning. A one-out walk proved costly when Mark Hurley tagged Becker for an RBI double. However, the Pioneer senior set down eight consecutive Otters after that, putting up zeroes in the second, third, and fourth.

Starnes picked up an RBI as the Pioneers tacked on a run in the fifth. The East Bay leadoff hitter grounded out and knocked in Williams, who had reached on one of his three hits. But the Otters answered right back in the bottom of the inning in identical fashion, plating a run on two singles and an RBI ground out.

A defensive miscue led to the fourth Pioneer run in the seventh. Ryan Kochan reached on a two-base error and moved up to third on Daniel Carney's sacrifice bunt. Eren Miravalles came in as a pinch hitter and chopped a grounder to short. Kochan broke for home, but the shortstop's throw beat him by quite a bit. The junior was eventually tagged out, but alertly stayed in the rundown long enough to allow Miravalles to get to second base. This payed off when the next batter, Williams, shot a single up the middle to score Miravalles.

Becker ran into a bit of trouble in the eighth as the Pioneers attempted to protect a 4-2 lead. The Otters had one runner on with two outs and came up with back-to-back doubles to plate a pair of runs and tie the game.

The home team seemed to have the momentum, but East Bay rallied back and scored the deciding runs in the top of the ninth. Kochan and Carney were both hit by pitches to lead things off, and Tyler Buchanan executed a sacrifice bunt to advance them into scoring position. After a pitching change, Williams came up with the big hit, ripping a two-run double. The Otters then proceeded to throw the ball around a bit, and when the catcher's throw skipped into the outfield, Williams advanced to third and came all the way around to score.

Becker came back out for the bottom of the ninth and finished off the complete game victory to even his record at 4-4. The right-hander allowed nine hits, walked one, and struck out eight.

Williams finished 3-for-4 with three RBI and a pair of runs. Starnes, Fletcher, Alexander, Kochan, and Zac Chuvala all notched one hit apiece. 

Game 2 -- CSUMB 3, CSUEB 2

The Pioneers grabbed the early lead in the second game, as well, but they weren't able to muster the same late-inning heroics. The visitors again scored in the first, staking O'Bryan to a one-run lead. Starnes led off with a double and moved to third on Marcus Wise's sacrifice bunt. He was thrown out trying to score on Ellis Stephney's grounder to first, but after Kochan was hit by a pitch, Stephney came in to score on a single by Carney.

The Pioneers made it 2-0 the following inning with the bottom of their order setting the table. Buchanan and Williams both singled with one out, and then Starnes laced a two-out hit into right field for the RBI.

The Otters notched a run in the third and another in the fourth to tie the game. East Bay, meanwhile, couldn't mount any more scoring rallies against Monterey's A.J. Quintero. In the bottom of the sixth, a two-out double gave the Otters the go-ahead run, and they hung on to win the seven-inning contest.

O'Bryan (3-4) gave the Pioneers a solid performance, but suffered the defeat. The senior struck out two and allowed six hits and two walks in his fourth complete game of the season. 

Starnes paced the squad offensively, getting three of the team's seven hits in a 3-for-4 effort. Bucahan reached base twice with a hit and a walk, and Alexander notched a pinch-hit single. Carney and Williams both finished the second game 1-for-3.