HAYWARD, Calif. -- The Cal State East Bay baseball team returns to Pioneer Field this weekend for their first home California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) series of the season. The Pioneers welcome in Cal State San Bernardino for a four-game set with games on Friday and Sunday sandwiched around a doubleheader Saturday, the back end of which will be scheduled for seven innings.

The Pioneers will hope the current weather forecast holds and allows them to get through a weekend unaffected by rain for the first time this year.

CSUEB is coming off a trip to Cal State San Marcos that saw the Cougars take three of the four games on their home field. The teams played back-to-back doubleheaders after last Friday's opener was rained out. They split Saturday's action, but CSUSM took both Sunday contests, squeaking out an 11-10 victory in extra innings, then pulling away for a 13-4 win in the finale.

Offensively, the Pioneers got strong performances from seniors Kyosuke Ushimaru (6-for-14) and Dakota Conners (6-for-16), as well as junior newcomer Ryan McSwain (8-for-18). Ushimaru had the biggest hit of the weekend on Sunday morning, a grand slam down the right field line which was the first home run hit by the Pioneers this season.

Through 10 games overall, CSUEB is batting .282 with a .380 on-base percentage, and they have six players with at least a .300 average. Getting on base hasn't been a problem, but the squad will look to come up with some timely hits this weekend to cash in on their scoring chances.

On the mound, a pair of newcomers has led the rotation through the early part of the season. Left-hander Brian Martinez has allowed just one earned run in 13.0 innings with 11 strikeouts, while right-hander Dylan Dudley has a 2.25 ERA in three appearances. Fans can expect to see those two on the hill in the first two games of the series. Senior Jacob Nelson has also made two starts, posting in a 3.86 ERA in seven innings of work.

Roles are still being determined, but several hurlers have turned in impressive efforts in relief. Returners Mark Woinarowicz (2.25 ERA) and Ransome Alexander (2.84 ERA) have both been effective out of the bullpen for head coach Mike Cummins, and junior newcomer Kyle Basch has the team's second-lowest ERA after Martinez at 2.08.

Cal State San Bernardino is off to a strong start and will present a formidable test. They won two out of three against Southern New Hampshire and two out of three against Cal State LA the last two weeks. The Coyote pitching staff allowed just three total runs against the Golden Eagles, led by starters Blake Timm (3-0, 2.45 ERA) and Tyler Williams (2.60 ERA, 17.1 IP, 23 K). They're batting .257 as a team through eight games, paced by Gabe Chavez (.455 avg, .5267 obp) and Richard Castro (.368 avg, 2 HR, 9 RBI). 

CSUSB took three out of four from the Pioneers when the teams met last year in San Bernardino, although all four games were decided by one or two runs.