HAYWARD, Calif. -- On a drizzly afternoon at Pioneer Field, Cal State East Bay set a school record with 26 hits in their second straight rout of Fresno Pacific University, winning by a final score 19-7 Friday. The Pioneers won their third straight games and have an overall record of 7-2. The Sunbirds drop to 5-6.
The record-breaking 26 hits in a game breaks the previous mark of 25 hits, which was set back in 1981 in a game against Humboldt State.
The Pioneers scored in each of the first seven innings. Between Thursday's 17-4 victory and Friday's romp, the Pioneers scored runs in 13 straight innings. CSUEB has accumulated 36 runs in the first two games of the series.
The Pioneers scored two in the first inning on a
Rudy Navarro sacrifice fly to score
Michael Thomas. The second run came when
Dakota Conners singled down the right field line to score
Myles Babitt to make it 2-0 after one.
CSUEB got two more in the second on a
Kris Bartlett fielder's choice and a
Ryan Wheat single.
The big innings were yet to come, as the Pioneers put up six runs in the third and six runs in the fourth innings. The Pioneers sent 11 batters to the plate in the third. The big hits of the inning were RBI singles by
Michael Thomas and Navarro that both scored two to make it 8-0. Two more would cross the plate in the third and the Pioneers would have a startling 10-0 lead after three.
The fourth inning would see 10 Pioneer batters come to the dish. Navarro continued his great day at the plate by doubling to right center to score three runners and make it 14-0. The Pioneers would carry a 16-0 lead to the fifth inning.
Despite being down by 16, the Sunbirds wouldn't go down easily as they plated five runs in the fifth to make it 16-5. The Pioneers would add one in the fifth, one in the sixth, and one in the seventh to close out their portion of the scoring and win 19-7.
Navarro had a huge game Friday, going 2 for 2 with six RBI before being lifted once the lead climbed to double figures. Navarro is 5 for 6 with eight RBI through two games against Fresno Pacific. The six RBI was a career high for Navarro
Not to be outdone,
Dakota Conners went 5 for 6 with two RBI's. The five hits was a career high for the sophomore.
Ryan Wheat went 4 for 6 with two RBI to raise his batting average to .556 on the season. Bartlett also had a four-hit day, notching two RBI and four runs.
Jacob Call took the hill for the Pioneers, went five innings, and gave up three earned runs on eight hits in collecting his second win of the season.
The series continues Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at 11:00 A.M. The second game will follow approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first game.
