FREMONT, Calif. -- The Cal State East Bay softball team dropped both ends of its doubleheader Friday to Sonoma State to open the four-game California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) series between the two squads.

In what felt like a rarity for the 2019 season, it was sunny and warm for a game day -- particularly warm down on the artificial turf on the field at Ohlone College where the teams played. Ultimately, the Pioneers struggled to put offensive rallies together, as the Seawolves recorded a 6-0 shutout in the opener, then won by a final score of 16-1 in just five innings in game two.

The afternoon started as a great pitcher's dual between SSU's Brielle Vidmar and East Bay's Abby Greer, who both opened the game by tossing four scoreless innings. Greer allowed just two hits during those four frames, but Sonoma finally broke out offensively in the fifth. Five hits resulted in four Seawolf runs, and it chased Greer from the game.

Sonoma tacked on two more insurance runs in the sixth. Meanwhile Vidmar completed seven scoreless innings allowing just four East Bay hits, and preventing any serious CSUEB scoring threats. Sarah Fukushima, Madi Greco, Meghan Araneta, and Hailey Davis all went 1-for-3 in the loss. 

The back end of the twinbill was all Seawolves as the visitors scored in every inning, starting with six runs in the top of the first. The Pioneers committed three defensive errors behind Bailee Glover to extend that inning, and then Sonoma batters made them pay with a single and three doubles before East Bay even got a chance to bat.

The bright spot offensively for the Pioneers was Maddie Ramirez, who scored and drove in the team's only run of the day. Leading off the bottom of the first, Ramirez belted one over the center field fence for a solo home run, her first of the season. The sophomore also shot an opposite-field triple over the right-fielder's head in her last at bat to finish the game 2-for-3 with seven total bases.

The Pioneers will look to get back in the win column on Saturday when the series concludes with another doubleheader at Ohlone. First pitch is set for 12 noon.