TURLOCK, Calif., -- The Cal State East Bay softball team kicked off the opening day of the 18th Annual Stanislaus State Tournament of the Champions with back-to-back wins over Western Oregon and Hawaii Hilo Friday afternoon, March 29 at Pedretti Softball Complex.
 
With back-to-back victories, East Bay improves to 9-22 on the season as they have now won three of their first four games during this seven game road weekend.
 
The Pioneers won both ballgames with one run each but the games were decided in two different manners.
 
The opening game of the afternoon for the Pioneers was highlighted by outstanding performance in the circle by junior hurler Abby Greer (W, 6-10) (Beaverton, Ore.) as she picked up her fourth consecutive complete game victory giving her seven total complete games on the season. Greer struck out three batters and only allowed two runs in the outing.
 
Senior Meghan Araneta (Foothill Ranch, Calif.) and junior Jennifer Palmares (Elk Grove, Calif.) both lead the Pioneers on the diamond. Araneta collected two hits with including a RBI single down the right field line to put the Pioneers ahead 3-1 and a run scored in the second inning. Palmares also had a multi-hit performance as she put the Pioneers on the board in the second inning with a RBI single to right center and a double in the fifth inning.
 
Bailee Glover (Reno. Nev.) and Bailee Aguigui (Vacaville, Calif.) each compiled a hit and scored a run for the Pioneers. Glover scored the first run of the ball game for CSUEB as she singled up the middle to open the second inning for the Pioneers. Aguiagui singled to the shortstop to begin the sixth inning before scoring the game deciding run.
 
Madi Greco (Prunedale, Calif.) added a hit in the in the top of the sixth inning and Hailey Davis (Albany, Ore.) chipped in a RBI in the top of the second inning.
 
In the final game of the afternoon, it was a walk-off single down the right field line in extra innings by Jennifer Palmares to give East Bay the comeback victory. The Pioneers found themselves down 3-0 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning by for rallying back for the win.
 
Freshman Abby Burkholder (W, 1-2) (Sacramento, Calif.) notched her first win in the circle as a Pioneers and her third complete game of the season. Burkholder recorded three strike outs and only two earned runs in the contest.
 
Emilie Portesi (Chino, Calif.) collected her second triple of the season with a shot to center field that resulted in her 13th RBI of the season. Courtney Leyba (Huntington Beach, Calif.) tallied a crucial RBI singled that scored Portesi in the seventh inning of play.
 
Sarah Fukushima (Sacramento, Calif.) logged the first hit of the game for East Bay and scored the Pioneers first run of the game as she also drew a walk and was hit by a pitch for the 15th time this season. Meghan Araneta scored the game-winning run for CSUEB on the Palmares walk-off RBI.
 
Bailee Glover logged a hit in the contest and Maddie Ramirez (Chino Hills, Calif.) scored a run after entering the game as a pinch runner in the seventh inning.
 
The Pioneer will continue action with Day 2 of the Tournament of Champions were the will face Academy of Art at 9:00 a.m. and Northwest Nazarene at 11:30 a.m.