HAYWARD, Calif.-- The opening series of the 2016 season for Cal State East Bay couldn't have gone any better as they outscored the Academy of Art 23-3 over the three game series on their way to a series sweep. They completed the sweep by taking both games of a Saturday doubleheader, 5-2 in game one and 11-1 in game two. The Pioneers are 3-0 on the season, while the Urban Knights are 0-3.

Game One- Cal State East Bay 5, Academy of Art 2

It looked like a pitcher's duel early on in game one, before the Pioneers busted out for four runs in the bottom of the fourth.

Raymond Jones opened up the scoring when he singled to left field to score Dakota Conners and make it 1-0 Pioneers. But the big blow was yet to come as leadoff hitter Michael Thomas took a 2-2 pitch and hit it deep off the left field foul pole for a three-run home run that scored Daniel Goodrich and Jones and a 4-0 lead.

The Urban Knights answered the four run fourth by the Pioneers with two of their own in the fifth to make it 4-2.

The score would hold until the eighth inning when Chris Porter hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score Conners and give the Pioneers a 5-2 lead.

Derek Oetken would get three straight groundouts in the ninth to close out a 5-2 win. It was Oetken's first save of the season.

Thomas was the offensive star for the Pioneers in game one going 3-4 with three RBI's and the aforementioned three run homer in the fourth. In all, seven Pioneers collected hits in the game.

Jacob Call got the start for CSUEB and threw five innings allowing two earned runs on five hits with six strikeouts in collecting his first win on the season.  Brandon Acosta was excellent in relief of Call, going three innings and not allowing a hit.

Game Two- Cal State East Bay 11, Academy of Art 1 (7)
Cal State East Bay put this game away early as they scored six runs in the second inning to lead 7-1 after two.

The big blow in the fourth inning was a two run single by Troy Resch that plated Marcus Wise and Thomas.

The Pioneers would add one run in the third and three more in the fifth to finish off the 11 run outburst.

Donovan Ramirez gave the Pioneers a third straight impressive start going five innings and allowing no earned runs on three hits. Joshua Kubiske and David Elzig finished off the game going two scoreless to clinch the sweep.

Wise, Resch, Myles Babitt, and Ryan Wheat all collected two hits for the Pioneers. Resch's two hits came with two RBI's. Wise scored three runs and had an RBI. Rudy Navarro had a team-high three RBI's for the Pioneers.

The offense and pitching deserves a lot of credit for the wins, but the defense on Saturday was just as big a factor.

"Our defense was outstanding. We made several good plays," said Cal State East Bay Head Coach Bob Ralston.  "Overall it was a good first weekend; we have two good opponents coming to town the next weekend in Western Oregon and Fresno Pacific. It will be a good test for us going forward.

The first test will be against Western Oregon who comes to Hayward for a four game series beginning Friday at 2:00 P.M.