HAYWARD, Calif. – Marisa Lerma, Ali Cerminara, and Allie Kornahrens each launched home runs in leading Cal State East Bay to a 9-1 victory over Dominican in the 2015 season opener at Pioneer Field. The Pioneers completed a Sunday sweep in large part to a go-ahead 3-run double from newcomer Gabby Gonzalez in a 6-5 game two win.

Head Coach Barbara Pierce was able to celebrate her birthday with a pair of wins as the team debuted in front of the home crowd. The ninth year skipper preserved her perfect record (4-0) when the squad plays on her birthday.

Cal State East Bay 9, Dominican 1 – F/5 (Game 1)
Jaynie MacDonald collected the first East Bay base hit and run batted in of the season after lacing a first pitch offering to tie the game in the first. Lerma then launched her first career homer to put the Pioneers up 3-1 with the eventual game-winning hit.

Cerminara joined the party in the fourth with a 3-run blast clearing the wall in center field. She was the only player to finish with multiple base hits in the opener adding a first inning single to her game one offensive performance.

Rose Marston tacked on another run with a two-out, full count RBI single to make it 8-1 through four innings. Fellow EB newcomer Allie Kornahrens pinch hit to start the fifth and make her first official appearance for the team. She turned on the first pitch for a walk-off homer as the Pioneers run-ruled the Penguins 9-1 in the bottom of the fifth.

Emily Perlich (1-0, 2.33) received the opening day start for the second straight year and picked up the win. A two-out run scoring double from Dominican's Katelyn Harden in the first was the only major blemish of the day. Tatiana Beilstein was impressive in her Pioneer debut tossing two shutout innings with two strikeouts for the save.

DUC's Ashlyn Moriarty was tagged with the loss after surrendering eight runs (four earned) in four innings. She issued five walks and gave up three of the four Pioneer extra base hits in the game.

Cal State East Bay 6, Dominican 5 – F (Game 2)
Gonzalez made her team debut a memorable one with a bases clearing double to give East Bay a 4-2 lead in the third. However the Penguins would not go away easily as they battled back to tie the game two innings later.

Sierra Clark made her pitching debut in game two and provided a 2-run cushion entering the bottom of the fifth. Despite getting to two strike counts on each of the first three batters, Dominican managed to load the bases with a walk and the next batters reached after being hit by the pitch.

Jordan Abel (1-0, 2.33) entered in relief and allowed only two runs to score on singles from Katelyn Harden and Catlyn Cavender to tie the game. Cavender would again come up clutch for the visiting side with a lead off homer in the seventh to bring the Penguins back within one.

The Pioneers retook the lead in their half of the fifth with a Vestal RBI single and MacDonald sacrifice fly. Vestals finished the game 2-for-3 with two RBI and reached base safely three times in game two.

Abel took the circle in the seventh and saw her cushion cut in half and the game-tying run reach base the following batter. Needing two outs to preserve the win, Abel forced a game-ending ground ball to second baseman Eliana Mello who tagged the run for one and threw to first for two.

The Pioneer pitching staff held the Penguin hitters to a .200 team batting average (9-for-45) and only two extra base hits in the doubleheader. East Bay went 15-for-45 (.333) with six extra base hits including three game one homers.

Cal State East Bay (2-0) will host Academy of Art (0-0) on Thursday, Feb. 5.