SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., -- The Cal State East Bay softball program fell in both games of their Saturday afternoon doubleheader against Cal State San Marcos at SFSU Softball Field.
 
East Bay dropped all four game of the series as they move to 2-7 on the season with an 0-4 start to California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) play. For the Cougar's it was their first CCAA series sweep in program history.
 
The opening game started off very similar to the yesterday's contest with junior Abby Greer (L, 1-4) (Beaverton, Ore.) in the circle against San Marcos' Ellie Smith. Both Greer and Smith racked up five strikeouts apiece as Greer tossed 6.1 innings to 3.1 innings from Smith.
 
The Pioneers jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning. Freshman Madi Greco (Prunedale, Calif.) led off the inning with a double through the left side. In the next at bat sophomore Jackie Najera (Santa Ana, Calif.) pelted a single to the second base pad to advance Greco to third. Two at bats later senior Courtney Leyba (Huntington Beach, Calif.) blasted a single up the middle to second base bringing home both Greco and Najera.
 
Greco and Najera both finished with a hit and a run, including a double for Greco. Leyba paced the Pioneers with two RBIs, a run scored and a hit.
 
Following the score, Meghan Araneta (Foothill Ranch, Calif.) double through the left side to bring home Leyba and give the Pioneers a 3-0 lead. Araneta compiled a double and a RBI for ballgame.
 
That would be the last runs scored by East Bay in the outing as San Marcos added nine runs in the last three innings including four each in the sixth and seventh innings as the Cougars garnered and 9-3 victory.
 
Jennifer Palmares (Elk Grove, Calif.) compiled a hit and two stolen bases. Sarah Fukushima (Sacramento, Calif.), Rachel Tadlock (Woodland, Calif.) and Hailey Davis (Albany, Ore.) all added one hit each.
 
The series finale was a little more contested as for the first time all series long the Cougars scored the first two runs of the game that featured four total home runs all over the left center wall.  
 
In the bottom of the third inning, Sarah Fukushima hit a solo shot over the left center field wall to put the Pioneers on the scoreboard. For Fukushima, it was her third homer of the season and her team-leading ninth RBI. To lead off the fourth inning, Meghan Araneta knocked her first home run of the season was a blast to left center that careened off the scoreboard.
 
The Cougars responded with a two-run homer from Andrea Wood in the top of the fifth to take a 4-2 lead.
 
 
With two outs on the board in the bottom of the fifth inning, Emilie Portesi (Chino, Calif.) cracked a rocket over the left field fence to bring the Pioneers within a point but the Cougars held on for the 4-3 win. It was Portesi's second long ball of the weekend.
 
Freshman Abby Burkholder (L, 0-1) (Sacramento, Calif.) tossed all 7.0 innings and picked a complete game with two strikeouts giving her 11 on the season.
 
The Pioneers will continue conference play next week with a series against Stanislaus State.