HAYWARD, Calif. -- The Cal State East Bay softball team split its doubleheader with visiting Sonoma State for the second straight day to close out the four-game California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) series against the Seawolves. After dropping the first game, 7-2, the Pioneers won game two by a final of 5-0 on the strength of Abby Greer's four-hit shutout. 

The Pioneers are now 26-20 for the season with an 18-16 record in CCAA games, holding steady in sixth place in the conference standings. The team has earned at least a split in its last five CCAA series, including the last two weekends against two of the top teams in the league.

The Seawolves jumped out early to start the day, scoring two runs in the second inning and four in the third. They tallied nine hits and four walks over the first four innings, building a lead that proved insurmountable. 

Jennifer Palmares singled home Marisa Lerma to get the Pioneers on the scoreboard in the second inning. The freshman shortstop finished 3-for-3 in the game, accounting for half of East Bay's hits. 

Fellow rookie Sarah Fukushima roped a double to the wall in left to plate Ashley Allen the following inning, but that was all the offense the Pioneers managed against Brigid Ruiz, who earned a complete game victory to improve to 10-4. 

Freshman Olivia McWhorter was effective in relief of starter Bailee Glover. She entered in the third inning and allowed one run on four hits with just one walk over the final 4.2 frames to close out the game.

Fortunately for the Pioneers, that script was flipped in the series finale. The home team scored in three straight innings to grab momentum in game two, and their starting pitcher made the lead stand up. 

Greer was outstanding for the second straight day, hurling her second straight shutout against the Seawolves for her 13th win. She struck out two and threw just 100 pitches in her team-leading 16th complete game of 2017.

Offensively, Emilie Portesi got things started for the Pioneers with a two-out single in the second inning to plate Tanya Galvan with the game's first run. East Bay struck again the following inning, when Courtney Leyba doubled to lead things off, then Fukushima drew a walk. After a double steal, the Pioneers scored runs on a squeeze bunt by Marisa Lerma and a sacrifice fly by Ali Cerminara. 

CSUEB made it 4-0 in the fourth thanks to an unlikely source. as sophomore Belle Placencia cleared the center field fence with her first career home run. The second basemen has been swinging a hot bat, hitting .313 over her last seven games.

Overall the Pioneers posted eight hits in the victory, with Leyba, Fukushima, and Galvan tallying two each. Fukushima reached base in all four plate appearances, drawing a pair of free passes.

East Bay now has a week off from the CCAA schedule, but they return to the field next Sunday, April 23, for a makeup non-conference doubleheader against Dominican at Pioneer Field.