HAYWARD, Calif. -- The Cal State East Bay baseball team swept its doubleheader against visiting Sonoma State on Friday to take the first two games of the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) series between the two rivals. The Pioneers won the first game 8-4, then rallied for a dramatic 9-7 victory in the nightcap. 

East Bay (13-5, 4-3 CCAA) racked up 11 hits and scored in five out of eight innings to secure a win in game one. Michael Thomas went 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBI to lead the squad offensively.

The afternoon contest was a back-and-forth affair, but the Pioneers entered the eighth inning trailing 7-6. After a walk to Dakota Conners, a single by Kris Bartlett, and a sacrifice bunt by Zack Perugi, Chris Poster belted a three-run homer into the trees in left. Closer Derek Oetken then tossed a 1-2-3 ninth inning to record his fourth save.

For Porter, it was his second three-run bomb of the afternoon to almost the same spot beyond the left field wall. The senior catcher finished the game 2-for-4 with six RBI. 

The Pioneers got a strong effort from their bullpen today, as six relievers combined to allow just one earned run in 10.2 innings of work. Nick Sergi picked up the win in the first game with 3.1 frames of scoreless relief. Joshua Kubiske earned a victory in game two after giving up one run in 3.0 innings out of the pen. 

CSUEB and Sonoma State conclude their four-game series on Saturday with a doubleheader in Rohnert Park, scheduled to start at 11 a.m.

Full recap to follow.