Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Sound Byte: K. LaVaute & C. Kakela (Game 1) | Sound Byte: E. Perlich (Game 1) | Sound Byte: A. Cerminara (Game 2)

HAYWARD, Calif. – Cal State East Bay softball completed its first California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) series sweep since April 2012 following 8-1 and 3-2 home wins over Cal State San Bernardino on Saturday. Emily Perlich set a new program record with 13 strikeouts in Saturday's opener as the Pioneers moved ahead of the Coyotes in the league standings.

Standings: 2014 CCAA Softball

Cal St. East Bay 8, Cal St. San Bernardino 1 – F (Game One)
"I had no idea about the record. I threw the game I was hoping to throw. I knew I had struck out a few, but I didn't know how many," said Perlich. "I didn't throw well yesterday and coming into today I wanted to get stronger every inning."

Perlich (10-12) struck out the side in the top of the sixth inning; tying the record with the second of the frame, followed by the record breaker one batter later. The patient Coyotes faced several full counts throughout the game forcing 125 pitches from the Pioneer hurler.

It was a come-from-behind victory with the first of two Kelsey LaVaute homers the game-winner. A two-run shot in the second inning erased a 1-0 deficit and a sixth inning long ball capped off a 2-for-3, three RBI game.

"The pitch (on the first home run) was right down the middle. In my second at bat they threw me changeups and made me look pretty bad. I was down 1-and-2 in the count the next time up…I knew they were going to throw it again and I was sitting on it," said LaVaute following her team leading eighth and ninth home runs of the season.

Cal State East Bay blew the game open in the fifth as Chelsie Kakela's grand slam on an 0-and-2 pitch from Cassandra Williams landed over the wall in left center field. Kakela and LaVaute combined for four homers and 11 runs batted in over the series.

"I fouled off the first two pitches pretty well. I knew she would throw me inside so I choked up, sped up my swing, and tried to connect with it," said Kakela during her grand slam at bat.

Perlich's lone blemish was a second inning solo homer from Victoria Lievanos. She surrendered only two hits and a walk while striking out 13 batters. Williams (13-11) allowed eight runs (one earned) over six innings and held the Pioneers to only four hits (three homers) while striking out two batters.

Cal St. East Bay 3, Cal St. San Bernardino 2 – F (Game Two)
The Pioneers played station-to-station ball in their opening team at bat as the first four batters reached first base safely. An Ali Cerminara RBI single opened the scoring and a bases loaded, full count walk issued to LaVaute made it 2-0.

CSUSB's Nicole Nobbe went 5-for-13 in the series and led off the fourth with a double. She went on to score in that inning and tied the game in the fifth with a two-out RBI single. Nobbe hit .385 for the weekend and watched her CCAA leading batting average drop from .500 to .486.

East Bay responded in the fifth as Jaynie MacDonald doubled and reached third on an errant cutoff throw with one out. Kakela stepped up with two outs and beat out the throw for an infield run-scoring single following a diving stab from Coyotes third baseman Summer Smith.

EB pitcher Jordan Abel (6-3) preserved the lead getting an inning ending double play in the sixth. The Pioneers pitched around Nobbe in the seventh with runners on second and third base and two outs. Abel forced a ground ball for the final out to complete the series sweep.

"We worked really hard to get this sweep. It feels good since we did not get a sweep all last year," said Cerminara following Saturday's doubleheader. "In the beginning Emily and I were still figuring each other out. Now I've really gotten to know her and we are getting really close. I knew Jordan (before East Bay) and have caught her before so I know how she pitches and reacts to things."

Cerminara threw out four runners attempting to steal second base this series including a pair in Friday's game two 1-0 win. She has thrown out 13 this season and says she enjoys that part of the game more than her offensive production.

"I get more joy out of throwing people out. They get on base and are excited. Throwing people out really kills a team's morale and when I do it they stop. It kills their offense," said Cerminara.

Cal State East Bay (20-23, 13-15 CCAA) will host Cal State Stanislaus (12-33, 6-22 CCAA) for back-to-back doubleheaders starting on Friday, April 18, at 1 p.m.

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