HAYWARD, Calif.—After having the start the of series pushed back a day to unsettled weather in the East Bay Monday, Cal State East Bay dropped the first two games of their CCAA clash with San Francisco State Tuesday. The Gators won a 9-7 slugfest in game one and 5-3 in the nightcap. The Pioneers enter Wednesday's doubleheader with SF State at 6-10 in the CCAA and 9-13 overall. The Gators improved to 10-8 in conference and 13-12 overall.
GAME ONE: San Francisco State 9, Cal State East Bay 7-After the Pioneers grabbed an early 1-0 lead on a
Sierra Clark sacrifice fly in the first inning, the Gators scored the next three runs to take a 3-1 lead. The Pioneers got one back on an unearned run in the bottom of the fourth before a wild fifth inning that saw both teams score five runs.
The Gators sent 11 batters to the plate in their turn in the fifth to lead 8-2. But things brightened up in the fifth when the Pioneers also sent 11 batters to the plate and got back all the runs they allowed in the top of the fifth.
With the bases loaded and one out,
Gabby Gonzalez singled to score
Marisa Lerma and keep the bases loaded.
Annissa Gonzalez was summoned off the bench to bat for
Belle Placencia and made the most of her opportunity as she cleared the bases with a grand slam over the left-field wall to make it 8-7 and thrill her teammates and fans in attendance.
Unfortunately, East Bay wasn't able to get across any more runs and suffered a 9-7 defeat.
Rose Marston went 2 for 5 in the first game with a run.
Tatiana Beilstein started and took the loss (3-6) for the Pioneers.
GAME TWO: San Francisco State 5, Cal State East Bay 3-Cerminara started her 3 for 4 effort in game two in the first inning when she singled to score Lerma and make it 1-0 East Bay.
The Pioneers would answer a Gator run in the third with one of their own in the home half of the third and again it was Cerminara who delivered a single to score Marston and make it 2-1.
The Gators would tie it in the fourth before scoring two in the fifth to build a 4-2 advantage. Down 5-2 in the bottom of the seventh, Cerminara would deliver her third RBI to bring the deficit down to two. But the next two batters would be retired and the Pioneers would turn their focus to Wednesday.
Marston had another two hits in game two to make it for 4 for 9 combined on the day. Lerma went 1 for 2 with two runs. Clark started game two and took the loss (5-5).
The series wraps up with a doubleheader Wednesday at Cal State East Bay starting at 12:00 P.M.
