HAYWARD, Calif., -- Opening day of the 2018 baseball season is finally upon us, as the Cal State East Bay Pioneers will open the season with a Homecoming weekend series against the University of British Columbia.
 
The teams will play an opening game on Friday, February 9 at 2:00 pm, then the squads would play a Saturday doubleheader beginning at 11:00 am followed by a game at 2:00 pm before concluding the series with a game Sunday, February 11 at noon.
 
In the program's ninth year since joining NCAA Division II and the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA), the Pioneers carry perhaps some of their highest expectations yet into the season. 2017 was the first season under head coach Mike Cummins who began 2017 with an interim tag. Cummins brings over 35 years of coaching experience in the Bay Area, including stints as head coach at Santa Clara University and San Francisco State. The 2017 team went 25-24 with a 16-21 mark in California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) action.
 
This year, the Pioneers have been picked to finish in eighth place in the CCAA Preseason Coaches Poll of the conference's 12 head coaches.
 
The Pioneers return a talented core from what was a remarkable offensive club. Senior Dallas Dey (.288 avg., 45 Hits, 19 RBIs), junior Joey Dice (.225 avg., 27 Hits, 22 runs) and junior Matt Cantelme (.289 avg., 24 Hits, 11 RBIs) are all back in Hayward for the 2018 season. Newcomers Jordan Estes, a transfer from Cosumnes River College and Kyosuke Ushimano, a transfer from Citrus College both are looking to provide huge contribution for the Pioneers.
 
On the pitching side, the Pioneers return a trio of their top hurlers from last season. Senior Andrew Fernandez captured his first career All-CCAA honor after serving admirably as the Swiss army knife for the Pioneer pitching staff. He led the team with 17 appearances, a 2.55 earned run average, and seven saves. The Castro Valley native posted the lowest opponents batting average of any hurler in the CCAA at .170, allowing just 23 hits in 42.1 innings. He boasted a 4-1 record and gave up just six extra base hits all season. Senior Jacob Call finished with a 3.84 ERA with a 5-4 record after racking up 13 appearances and 12 starts. Call tossed 58.2 innings with 32 strikeouts. Senior Alex Vesia completed last season with a 14-9 mark and a 4.82 ERA. Vesia compiled 65.1 innings of action with a team best 64 strikeouts and 1 save.
 
Also new to the rotation, Jacob Nelson a transfer from South Mountain College and RJ Hanson, a transfer from Skyline College will both provide the East Bay pitching coalition with new faces on the mound.
 
SCOUTING UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
The UBC Thunderbirds are off the 1-1 start to the season after splitting a series against Thompson Rivers University. The Thunderbirds finished the 2017 season with a 32-16 overall record with a 21-11 mark in conference action. Jake Lanferman and Justin Orton lead UBC with one home run apiece. Lanferman has compiled two RBI, two runs scored and a hit while Orton has racked up three runs scored, five RBI and two hits. Niall Winderler (1-0) has the Thunderbirds only win after tossing 4.0 innings and picking up seven strikeouts.