Box Score CARSON, Calif. -- The Cal State East Bay baseball team won the opener of its four-game series at Cal State Dominguez Hills by a score of 7-6 on Friday afternoon. The Pioneers improve to 21-16 overall and 15-14 in California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) play. 

Jason Fletcher drove in five runs for East Bay, including a three-run home run in the seventh inning that tied the score at 5-5. Kelly Starnes went 4-for-5 in the back-and-forth contest, and Nick Hudson pitched eight innings to pick up his team-leading seventh win of the season. 

The Pioneers scored in the first inning for the fourth straight game as Starnes got things going with a leadoff doubles. Marcus Wise then beat out a bunt single, and Fletcher, Brandon Alexander, and Eren Miravalles ripped back-to-back-to-back base hits to put East Bay up 2-0.

The Toros answered back with two runs off Hudson in the second inning. The senior right-hander settled down after that, as did CSUDH starter Jeffrey Gogue. The score remained 2-2 into the sixth after Hudson set down 11 straight Toro batters.

The home team grabbed the lead in the bottom of the sixth, taking advantage of some productive outs to hang three runs on the board.

Trailing 5-2, the Pioneers answered right back as Zac Chuvala and Starnes led off with singles. Then with one out, Fletcher cranked his first home run in a Pioneer uniform out to left field, tying the game at 5-5.

Hudson retired the Toros in the seventh and eighth innings, and then the East Bay offense went back to work in the ninth, smelling victory. WIth one out, Starnes laced a double to center field, and Wise followed with a single. The next bater was Fletcher, who gave the Pioneers the lead with a sacrifice fly. Alexander then drove a double to the opposite field to plate CSUEB's seventh run.

Senior Bryce Vidmar allowed a run in the ninth, but escaped a jam with the tying run on third base to lock down dramatic the victory. The left-hander picked up his third save of the season.

Hudson improved to 7-2 with the win. The senior allowed five runs on six hits and struck out two in 8.0 innings. 

East Bay opened with game with five straight hits, and all five of those batters finished with multiple knocks. Starnes notched season highs with four hits and three runs scored. Fletcher was 2-for-5 with his career-high five RBI. Both Wise and Alexander went 2-for-4, and Miravalles was on base three times with two singles and a walk.

The Pioneers out-hit the Toros 15 to 8, matching their season high for hits in a game. They improved their road record to 8-7 for the season. 

The series continues on Friday with a doubleheader set to begin at 12 p.m. Live audio is available at GoToros.com/live.