TURLOCK, Calif. -- The Cal State East Bay baseball team dropped the opening game of the first California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) series of the season by a final score of 3-1 at Stanislaus State on Friday afternoon.

The Warriors (8-3, 1-0 CCAA) came out on the winning end of a strong pitching matchup against the Pioneers (9-3, 0-1 CCAA), as Tyler Murphy out-dueled East Bay sophomore Alex Vesia.

The teams took a scoreless tie into the fifth inning, when a two-out infield error by the Pioneers brought home the first Warrior run.

The following inning, Erik Colombini hit a solo homer and Aldo Koutsoyanopulos roped an RBI double, giving the home team a 3-0 lead.

East Bay out-hit Stanislaus seven to six for the game, but couldn't manage a scoring rally until the ninth inning. Michael Thomas led off with a triple, and then Ryan Wheat knocked him in with a sacrifice fly to get the Pioneers on the board. Singles by Rudy Navarro and Joey Dice put the tying runs on base with one out, but the Warriors brought in closer Micah Hall, who recorded the final two outs for the save.

Murphy gave up just one run and didn't walk a batter in 8.1 innings to improve to 2-0.

Vesia allowed two earned runs and struck out six in 7.0 innings, suffering a tough luck defeat to fall to 2-1. 

Michael Frantz tossed a perfect frame in the bottom of the eighth, striking out a pair. Navarro was the only Pioneer to notch multiple hits, going 2-for-4. 

CSUEB and Stanislaus head west to Hayward on Saturday to continue their series with a doubleheader at Pioneer Field. Jacob Call (2-0, 3.38 ERA, 16.0 IP, 8 K) is expected to oppose Nick Voumard (2-0, 0.86 ERA, 21.0 IP, 30 K) in the first game, with first pitch scheduled for 11 a.m.