ROHNERT PARK, Calif. – Cal State East Bay was on the short end of one-run games on Saturday at Seawolf Softball Field dropping 2-1 and 4-3 decisions to No. 24 Sonoma State. SSU's Alison Strycula provided the walk-off hit in both games with a two-run double in the opener and the game-winning single to close out the series.

Cal State East Bay (15-13, 8-12 CCAA) led 1-0 heading into the bottom of the eighth inning in game one and scored three runs in the top of the first in the finale. The Pioneers outscored the Seawolves 11-7 over the 4-game series but only picked up one victory after suffering three one-run losses.

Sonoma State 2, Cal State East Bay 1 – F/8 (Game 1)
Again it was starting pitchers Sierra Clark and Sonoma State (20-5, 12-3 CCAA) ace Amanda Llerena locked in a battle to open the day's action. Llerena struck out the first three batters she faced and Clark recorded her second punch out in the first inning to strand Seawolves on the corners.

It was again Gabby Gonzalez who broke up Llerena's no-hit bid as she did in the series opener on Friday. However on Saturday it was a third inning single and the rest of the Pioneer bats would show life late in the game.

Sonoma State was playing to get at least one run in hopes that it would be enough for its ace. The SSU leadoff batter in the second and third innings was bunted over to scoring position for the first out, but Clark left the go-ahead run on base both times.

Both pitchers would escape bases loaded jams with Clark's coming in the fifth. A pair of two-out singles followed by a walk brought up pinch hitter Jordann White. Clark was down three balls and no strikes in the count, but following a called strike White sent the ensuing pitch to shortstop Nikki Foster who stepped on second base for the force.

One-out back-to-back singles in the seventh from Marisa Lerma and Clark, followed by a pinch hit walk from Cassie Vela loaded the bases. Llerena preserved the scoreless tie after forcing a pop out and a full count strikeout to end the inning.

Ali Cerminara changed the game with one swing as her two-out solo home run in the top of the eighth put the Pioneers three outs away from victory. However two errors in the bottom half of the inning proved costly and set up Strycula's two-run walk-off double into center field.

Clark (7-5) went 7-plus innings, threw 143 pitches, and struck out four batters. She allowed eight hits (seven singles), two runs (one earned), walked four, and hit two batters in the defeat.

Llerena (13-3) tossed an efficient eight innings needing only 98 pitches to finish the game. She scattered six hits (five singles) and struck out six Pioneers in the win.

Sonoma State 4, Cal State East Bay 3 – F (Game 2)
Llerena, who had previously allowed only one run in 15 innings, was called upon to start the series finale. The Pioneers touched her up for three first inning runs following a RBI single from Gonzalez, and back-to-back sacrifice flies by Cerminara and Lerma.

East Bay pitcher Tatiana Beilstein entered in relief with the bases loaded, one out, and a 3-1 lead. She threw six consecutive strikes with the first setting down Aubrie Tolliver and the final three forcing an inning ending pop out from Molly Mazon.

Llerena settled in after the first inning holding the Pioneers scoreless over the final six frames and retiring 11 straight East Bay batters to end the game. Jaynie MacDonald was the only runner to reach scoring position after the first inning following her two-out double in the third. She led the Pioneers with her 2-for-3 effort in the loss.

Beilstein stranded a runner on third in the second and third innings before Sonoma State tied the game 3-3 in the fifth. Purdy and Ray collected hits to open the frame and later scored on a bunt and error. Beilstein was then able to regroup following her misfire to first on the bunt and keep the game even.

SSU's Strycula stepped up in the seventh with one out and teammate Amanda Rossetta standing on third. She sent the 1-and-1 pitch from Beilstein into right field for her second walk-off hit of the day.

Cal State East Bay will compete at the Tournament of Champions hosted by Cal State Stanislaus starting on Friday, March 27. The Pioneers will open their weekend schedule against Western Washington.