SAN MARCOS, Calif., -- The Cal State East Bay softball team split their California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) series finale doubleheader against Cal State San Marcos on Saturday afternoon, April 14 at CSUSM Softball Field.
 
With the Saturday series split the Pioneers move to 17-32 on the season with a 11-25 mark in conference action after falling in their road series, 3-1 to the Cougars.
 
CSUEB offense was in full display as they accounted for eight or more hits through both ends of the doubleheader. In the opening game the Pioneer offense was not able to account for many runs as East Bay fell, 7-2 to the home team.
 
San Marcos scored early and often with runs in the first, third, fourth and sixth innings.
 
CSUEB had three different players register a double in the ball game. Junior Courtney Leyba (Huntington Beach, Calif.) led Cal State East Bay with three hits, including a double and a RBI. Sophomore Jennifer Palmares (Elk Grove, Calif.) tallied a double and scored a run. Rachel Tadlock (Woodland, Calif.) doubled in top of the sixth inning.
 
Meghan Araneta (Foothill Ranch, Calif.) logged a hit and a RBI. Sarah Fukushima (Sacramento, Calif.) and Emilie Portesi (Chino, Calif.) each chipped in a hit while Maddie Ramirez (Chino Hills, Calif.) scored East Bay's first run of the game in the top of the fourth inning.
 
Olivia McWhorter (L, 3-9) (Cypress, Calif.) led the Pioneer rotation with three strikeouts and one walk through 3.0 innings of action. Taylor Lara (La Puente, Calif.) also saw 3.0 innings of action in the circle allowing only one run scored.
 
In the series finale, CSUEB starting pitcher Abby Greer (W, 6-15) (Beaverton, Ore.) had a shutout in the works before the Cougars rallied off four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. But a strong start offensively from the Pioneers with two runs in the third inning and three more runs in the fifth allowed Cal State East Bay to come away with a, 5-4 victory to end the series.
 
Rachel Tadlock tied the Pioneer lead with her second home run of the season as she finished the game with two hits, three RBI and a run scored.
 
Courtney Leyba complied another three hit performance with a run scored. Jennifer Palmares also tallied a multi-hit performance with two hits, a run and a RBI.
 
Bailee Aguigui (Vacaville, Calif.) doubled in the top of the third inning and scored a run for East Bay. Madddie Ramirez completed the game with a hit, Sarah Fukushima scored a run and Meghan Araneta notched a RBI and drew two walks.
 
The Pioneers will round up their Southern California road trip with a non-conference doubleheader against Concordia University beginning at 12:30 p.m. at Eagles Field in Irvine.