HAYWARD, Calif.-- Up 4-1 heading to the top of the ninth inning, the possibility of a series sweep for Cal State East Bay over Cal State San Marcos was looking good but the Cougars scored five times in the ninth to take the lead and win 6-4 Sunday. The loss drops the Pioneers to 16-13 in the CCAA and 25-15 overall. The Cougars improve to 13-16 in conference and 21-20 overall.

Despite the loss, the Pioneers won the series 2-1 against the Cougars and still hold onto the third and final playoff spot in the CCAA North Division by two games over fourth-place Sonoma State with eight games remaining.

The Cougars got on the scoreboard in the first inning with a sacrifice fly to lead 1-0. The Pioneers would tie it in the third without getting a hit. Dakota Conners led off the inning with a walk and was moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Michael Frantz. Marcus Wise would come up next and reach on a fielding error by the Cougars and Conners advanced to third. Raymond Jones would come up next and hit a sacrifice fly to score Conners and tie it at one.

East Bay would take the lead on a Frantz single that followed up a Kris Bartlett double to open the inning. The Pioneers would extend the lead to 3-1 in the seventh when Chris Porter doubled to start inning and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Conners would bring home Porter on a fielder's choice to make it a two-run lead.

The Pioneers made it 4-1 in the eighth when Troy Resch singled through the right side of the infield to score Wise.

In the fateful top of the ninth, the Cougars had already scored two runs to close the lead to 4-3 when the Cougars Colin Dvorak homered to left field to score himself and two others and complete the five-run inning. The Pioneers went down in order in the bottom of the ninth and now will begin preparations for UC San Diego next weekend.

Jacob Call got the start for the Pioneers and had an excellent outing. Call went seven innings and allowed an earned run on two hits and four strikeouts.

The three-game series with UC San Diego begins Saturday with a doubleheader in La Jolla. First pitch in game one is set for 2:00 P.M.