LA JOLLA, Calif. -- Both Cal State East Bay and UC San Diego earned thrilling victories in a doubleheader split Saturday. The Pioneers got four runs in the top of the ninth to take a 5-2 lead and won by the same score in game one. The Tritons won game two in their final at bat as they plated two runs to walk off with a 7-6 victory.

The split brings the Pioneers record to 17-14 in the CCAA and 26-16 overall. The Tritons are now 18-14 in conference and 28-16 overall.

GAME ONE: Cal State East Bay 5, UC San Diego 2

The first game was a pitcher's duel for most of the contest until the Pioneers exploded for four runs in the ninth.

The first two runs didn't cross the plate until the bottom of the fourth when the Tritons scored off East Bay starting pitcher Alex Vesia. The two runs was the only blemish on an otherwise good start by Vesia. The sophomore left-hander went eight innings and gave up the two runs on seven hits and earned the win (5-4).

The Pioneers would answer the UCSD rally in the fourth with a run to make it 2-1. Myles Babitt scored from third base on a failed pick-off attempt to first base by Triton pitcher Kyle Mora.

The Pioneers big ninth inning started on a Rudy Navarro single and he was brought home to tie the game on a Dakota Conners single. The game-winning hit of the game came when Chris Porter singled with the bases loaded and one out and delivered a base hit to center field to score Babitt and Conners to make it 4-2. Michael Thomas gave the Pioneers a three-run cushion when he hit into a fielder's choice that plated Kris Bartlett.

Andrew Fernandez got the final three outs in the ninth for his first save of the season and a 5-2 Pioneer victory.

Babitt led the Pioneers at the plate in the first game, going 3 for 4 with two runs.

GAME TWO: UC San Diego 7, Cal State East Bay 6

Porter carried his big hit in the ninth inning of the first game into his first at bat of the second game as he had another two RBI single to left field give the Pioneers a 2-0 lead.

The lead would be short-lived as the Tritons would score three in the bottom of the first and one in the second to take a 4-2 lead.

East Bay would get even with runs in the third in sixth before a two-run seventh inning reclaimed the two-run lead they had after Porter's hit in the first inning.

Navarro would ground out to second, which allowed Marcus Wise to score from third for the go-ahead run and Conners would later single down the left field line to score Raymond Jones to make it 6-4.

UCSD got it to 6-5 with a run in the eighth and would win the game with two bases loaded walks in their last at bat to send the three-game series to a rubber match Sunday.

Jones went 3 for 5 in the loss. Porter and Conners each had two RBI's. Navarro and Wise both had two-hit games.

Angel Lara was impressive in relief of starter Nick Sergi, going seven innings and allowing two earned runs on seven hits with four strikeouts.

East Bay and UCSD will complete their three-game series Sunday with first pitch at 11:00 A.M.