STOCKTON, Calif. -- The 2016 Cal State East Bay baseball team became the first in program history to record 33 wins after the Pioneers defeated Cal Poly Pomona, 7-4, Saturday morning at Banner Island Ballpark to advance to their first ever California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Tournament championship game.

CSUEB (33-20) fell just short in the title game Saturday afternoon, nearly erasing a six-run deficit in the ninth inning in a 10-9 loss to Chico State. The Wildcats (35-20) claim the tournament championship and the CCAA's automatic bid to next week's NCAA Division II West Regionals. 

East Bay needed to beat the top-ranked team in the tournament to reach the title game, and they got an outstanding effort from junior right-hander Nick Sergi to carry them there. After the Pioneers and Broncos traded runs in the first inning, head coach Bob Ralston gave to ball to Sergi for the second, and he proceeded to carve up the potent Pomona lineup for the next seven innings. 

The score remained 1-1 into the sixth, when CPP got a run on two singles and a sacrifice fly. But the Broncos removed starting pitcher Peter Bayer before the bottom of the inning, and the Pioneer bats when to work. Raymond Jones walked to lead off the inning, Rudy Navarro shot an opposite field single, and Troy Resch moved them to second and third with a bunt. Myles Babitt then gave the Pioneers their first lead of the day with a two-run single up the middle. 

East Bay broke the game open the following inning. Jones and Navarro both drew walks, and then Resch blasted a three-run home run onto the patio area beyond right field to make the score 7-2.

Sergi ended up allowing one run and scattering six hits in 7.0 innings for pick up his fourth win. He struck out a career-high nine batters, and didn't issue a single walk.

Navarro, the league's leading hitter and Most Valuable Player, finished 3-for-3 with two runs scored. That gives the senior 84 hits for the season, breaking the program record of 82 previously set by Nick McManus in 2010.

It was the first victory of the season for the Pioneers against Cal Poly Pomona. The Broncos swept them in three games back in March, the only series all season the Pioneers lost.

Following their historic victory, East Bay had just an hour to get ready to battle Chico State for the tournament championship. They grabbed an early 2-1 lead in the first inning, as Marcus Wise swiped third base and scored when the catcher's throw went into left field. After two walks, Dakota Conners knocked in a run with a single through the hole. 

The lead was short-lived, however. Chico scored four runs in the third inning and four more in the fifth to take a 9-3 advantage. Donavon Ramirez came out of the bullpen and fired 2.2 innings of scoreless relief to prevent any further damage, but the Wildcats nonetheless went to the ninth inning leading 10-4.

The Pioneers showed their resiliency once again in the final frame. Despite playing their fifth game of the tournament and their ninth in the last nine days, they staged one more rally and nearly came all the way back to tie it. Resch led off with a single, Bryan Mason followed with a pinch-hit double, and Ryan Wheat laced an RBI single to bring home a run. A fielding error by the shortstop made it 10-6 with no outs, but the Wildcats made a pitching change and Zach Smart quickly retired the next two hitters.

With two on and two out, senior Rob Link pinch hit and cranked a three-run homer over the left field wall to draw the Pioneers within one run. The rally fell short, however, as Zack Perugi grounded out the end the game. For Link, it's his third home run of the season in just 20 at bats. He has a .750 slugging percentage and half his hits this season have left the yard.

Following the game, Sergi, Navarro (7-for-17, 6 BB, 5 R in five games), and sophomore Alex Vesia (7 IP, 1 ER on Wednesday) were all named to the 2016 CCAA All-Tournament Team.

The Pioneers are now in strong shape to qualify for the upcoming NCAA Regional, which features the top six teams from the West. CSUEB was ranked No. 5 on Wednesday before notching three victories at the CCAA Tournament this week. The team will learn its fate Sunday evening when the field is announced on NCAA.com.