HAYWARD, Calif., -- The Cal State East Bay baseball team opened their California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) home series against the visiting Sonoma State Seawolves with a huge, 2-1 victory at Pioneer Field on Friday afternoon.
 
The Pioneers improved to 21-22 on the season and 18-19 in conference action as the claimed a 1-0 series lead.
 
Senior southpaw Alex Vesia (W, 8-2) (Alpine, Calif.) was impressive from the mound as he tossed 7.0 innings collecting six strikeouts. Vesia is now tied for first in the CCAA with eight wins and is second with 80 strikeouts.
 
Fellow senior Nick Risucci (Las Vegas, Nev.) got the start on the mound and fanned two batters while allowing no earned runs through two innings of action.
 
The CSUEB bats totaled 11 hits as four different Pioneers notched multi-hit performances. Jacob Eder (Prescott, Ariz.) and Raymond Jones (San Diego, Calif.) both racked up two hits and an RBI apiece for East Bay. Jones added a stolen base.
 
Colt Parshall (Oakdale, Calif.) finished the ballgame with two hits and Dakota Conner (Manteca, Calif.) scored the Pioneers first run of the game to go along with his two hits and stolen base.
 
Evan Steele (Clovis, Calif.) scored CSUEB's final run of the contest after he opened the seventh inning with a leadoff single up the middle. Adam Hollar (Livermore, Calif.) and Paul Bryniarski (Fountain Hills, Ariz.) chipped in hits for East Bay.
 
The series opening win was key for Cal State East Bay as they are still in the mix of the annual CCAA Tournament.
 
The Pioneers will continue their home stand with a Saturday afternoon doubleheader at Pioneer Field.