TURLOCK, Calif., -- The Cal State East Bay softball team ended 2018 Tournament of Champions of the losing end of their games against Hawaii Pacific and Western Washington on Sunday afternoon, March 25.
 
After going 2-3 during the 17th annual Tournament of Champions, including having one game cancelled due to weather, the Pioneers move to 13-22 on the season and 6-5 in non-conference action.
 
In CSUEB's contest against Hawaii Pacific neither team put runs on the scoreboard until the fifth inning of action. The Sharks exploded with three runs in the top of the inning as the Pioneers would only score one run. Hawaii Pacific would add two more runs in the top of the sixth inning to claim a, 5-1 victory over East Bay.
 
Despite the low run total, it was not for lack of offense from the Pioneers as East Bay had a trio of student-athlete register multi-hit performances. Sophomore Jennifer Palmares (Elk Grove, Calif.) and the junior duo of Courtney Leyba (Huntington Beach, Calif.) and Bailee Glover (Reno, Nev.) all finished with two hits apiece. Palmares stole a base and added CSUEB's only score of the game.
 
Sophomore Sarah Fukushima (Sacramento, Calif.) and junior Belle Placencia (Apple Valley, Calif.) each finished with one hit each. Freshman Maddie Ramirez (Chino Hills, Calif.) supplied the Pioneers lone RBI of the outing.
 
Bailee Glover (L, 5-3) got the start in the circle for East Bay and struck out three Sharks through five innings while only walking one batter. Junior Taylor Lara (La Puente, Calif.) tossed the final two innings of the game and logged a strikeout and one walk.
 
Cal State East Bay's final game of the tournament featured a pitching duel between sophomore Olivia McWhorter (L, 2-6) (Cypress, Calif.) and Western Washington's Kira Doan (W, 1-1). Neither hurler gave up more then four hits and McWhorter led the game with three strikeouts.
 
The game deciding run came in the top of the seventh inning as the Vikings doubled to right center and scored the only run of the ballgame.
 
Freshman Desiree Jimmy (Los Angeles, Calif.) and Courtney Leyba compiled CSUEB's only hits of the game.
 
The Pioneers will return to California Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAA) competition with a road series against Sonoma State on March 30-31 at Seawolf Softball Field in Rohnert Park, Calif.