HAYWARD, Calif.-- The Pioneers closed out their 2016 regular season home schedule with a split in a doubleheader against visiting Cal State Monterey Bay.  The Otters won game one 12-0 in five innings before the Pioneers came roaring back from the tough defeat in game one to win 4-0 in game two. The Pioneers record goes to 13-21 in the CCAA and 18-28 overall. The Otters are now 13-22 in conference and 23-25 overall.

GAME ONE: Cal State Monterey Bay 12, Cal State East Bay 0 (F/5)

Two big innings spelt doom for the Pioneers in game one. Already down 1-0, the Otters would score six times in the fourth and five times in the fifth to grab the 12-run lead and invoke the mercy rule on the Pioneers.

East Bay was stymied by the pitching of Monterey Bay starter, Tori Pierucci, as the Pioneers could only get two hits in the game on singles by Marisa Lerma and Allison Noble.

GAME TWO: Cal State East Bay 4, Cal State Monterey Bay 0

Starting pitcher Sierra Clark and left fielder Courtney Leyba were the story for the Pioneers in the second game. Clark pitched a three-hit complete game shutout against the Otters and Courtney Leyba went 2 for 4 with three RBI's, including hitting her second home run of the season in the first inning.

The Leyba home run came in the third inning on a 3-2 pitch and sent the Pioneer bench charging out of their dugout to greet Leyba at home.

In the bottom of the fourth inning with two outs and Anissa Maldonado and Belle Placencia on second and third, respectively, Leyba knocked a single to right-center that scored both runners to give the Pioneers a 3-0 cushion.  Gabby Gonzalez would come up next and bring Leyba home with another single and complete the three-run inning.

The four runs would be more than Clark needed on this day, as she was only in real trouble in the fourth and sixth innings. In the fourth, the Otters had runners on second and third with one out but Clark forced two straight pop outs to end that rally. In the sixth, the Otters had the bases loaded with one out but Clark would shake out of trouble again with a foul out and pop out.

Clark also impressed at the plate going 2 for 3 in game two.

Cal State East Bay takes to the road to finish their 2016 regular season at conference leader, Humboldt State, in a four-game series. Game one and two of the series take place Friday in Arcata with the first game beginning at 1:00 P.M.