HAYWARD, Calif. -- Runs were bountiful and scoring aplenty on Saturday under the warm February sun at Pioneer Field, as the Cal State East Bay baseball team played a marathon doubleheader against visiting British Columbia. 

The Pioneers and Thunderbirds split the two games, with UBC rallying late for a 12-10 victory in the morning contest, and CSUEB pulling away early for a 14-5 win in the nightcap.

Junior newcomer Paul Bryniarski was the offensive star for East Bay, going 5-for-8 in the doubleheader with a home run and six RBI. He was one of three CSUEB hitters to get multiple knocks in the first game, as the Pioneers scored 10 runs despite totaling just seven hits.

It was a back-and-forth game, as UBC hung four runs on the scoreboard in the first inning against Jacob Nelson. Bryniarski and Kyosuke Ushimaru drove in runs to get a couple back, but the Pioneers still trailed 6-2 going into the bottom of the fifth.

And then the Thunderbird pitchers helped East Bay get back in the game. UBC issues a staggering 16 free passes in the contest, with 11 walks and five hit batters. They also uncorked five wild pitches, as the Pioneers scored three in the fifth and five in the seventh.

Joey Portugal was the most effective pitcher for either squad today, allowing just one hit and striking out five in 4.1 innings of scoreless relief. He was in line for the win as CSUEB took a 10-6 lead into the eighth inning, but the game was far from over at that point.

Mario Mazzoni started the eighth and allowed a hit, issued a walk, and hit a batter before head coach Mike Cummins turned to Andrew Fernandez with one out. Fernandez also gave up a walk and a single, and then a throwing error on an infield chopper allowed the tying run to score.

The next batter brought home the go-ahead run with a ground out, and then UBC tacked on another run in the ninth to seal the comeback victory.

It was a different story in game two, as the Pioneers immediately grabbed control with seven runs. Bryniarski launched the very first pitch of the bottom of the first inning into the trees beyond right-center for his first career home run.

That was a bad omen for UBC southpaw Brad Smith, who retired just one of the eight batters he faced. Nolan Jekich and Colt Parshall highlighted the inning with RBI hits, and the Pioneers also took advantage of three wild pitches and a passed ball.

Staked to a big lead early, CSUEB starter RJ Hanson gave the Pioneers a solid outing in his debut. The right-hander walked just one and struck out six, giving up three earned runs on six hits in 5.0 innings to record the victory.

Jacob Eder had a big game at the dish, finishing 3-for-4 with a walk and four RBI. He and Bryniarski, who fell a double short of the cycle, accounted for the majority of the team's hits. Following a similar script to game one, the Pioneers scored 14 times on just 10 hits, taking advantage of nine walks and four hit batters. 

After UBC had chipped away at its deficit against Hanson and trailed just 7-4, Eder and Bryniarski keyed a five-run inning in the bottom of the third, putting a damper on the Thunderbirds' hopes of pulling off a second straight rally.

Ransome Alexander struck two batters in a hitless inning following Hanson out of the bullpen. He was succeeded in the seventh by by Jordan Milligan, who allowed an unearned run in his debut before closing out the blowout win.

The two teams close out their four-game set on Sunday with the series finale scheduled for 12 p.m. Senior Jacob Call is expected to take the hill for the Pioneers.