TURLOCK, Calif. -- The Cal State East Bay softball team finished the 16th annual Tournament of Champions with two wins and four losses after dropping both games Saturday afternoon at Pedretti Sports Complex.

The Pioneers (20-16) came up just short against Hawaii Pacific (18-15) by a final score of 5-3 in their first game. After a very short break between games, they lost another tight one, 3-1, to Hawaii Hilo in the tournament finale. 

It was a back-and-forth battle against a solid Sharks team to start the afternoon. Ashley Allen gave the Pioneers an early advantage, leading off the game with a home run. It was her only hit of the doubleheader, but the senior nonetheless had a monster weekend, totaling nine hits, nine runs, nine RBI, and three home runs at the tournament. She led the entire tournament in home runs, runs, and RBI and was subsequently named to the All-Tournament of Champions team. 

HPU answered back with two runs in the second against Abby Greer. But East Bay tied the game in the third when Tanya Galvan drove in Courtney Leyba with a sacrifice fly, then re-took the lead in the fourth on Leyba's opposite field double.

Unfortunately, the lead was short-lived. The Sharks answered back with to runs in the bottom of the frame, thanks to a pair of two-out hits and a Pioneer error. HPU tacked on an insurance run in the fifth on Emiliee Leonard's solo home run, and the Pioneers were unable to push any across in their final two at bats.

Leyba went 3-for-4, tallying three of CSUEB's five hits in the game. Greer dropped to 9-9 on the season with the loss, allowing four earned runs on nine hits in a complete game.

After failing to score in the final three innings against Hawaii Pacific, East Bay's offensive woes continued in the nightcap against fellow island school Hawaii Hilo. Luckily freshman Olivia McWhorter was up to the task, holding the Vulcans scoreless through the first five innings.

In the bottom of the fourth, Sarah Fukushima ripped a leadoff single and moved up on Marisa Lerma's sacrifice bunt. Ali Cerminara then belted a double over the center fielder's head to bring home the game's first run.

That was all the offense East Bay would muster, and they were unable top hold the 1-0 lead. Hilo tied the game in the sixth with a rally that started with a Pioneer error and culminated on a run-scoring squeeze bunt.

The game was tied 1-1 into the seventh when the Vulcans strung together three singles and a walk, all with two outs, to snatch the 3-1 victory.

McWhorter pitched well but too the loss to drop to 7-6 on the season. She allowed eight hits and struck out three in her sixth complete game of her rookie campaign. 

The Pioneers were out-hit again in defeat, tallying just six in total. Cerminara went 2-for-3 and freshman Emilie Portesi finished 2-for-2 with a walk.

After dropping their final three games at the Tournament of Champions, CSUEB will attempt to right the ship on Wednesday before they return to conference play next weekend. The Pioneers host Notre Dame de Namur for a non-conference doubleheader in Hayward, with first pitch scheduled for 12 p.m.