HAYWARD, Calif., -- The Cal State East Bay softball team will continue California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) action with a four-game road series against Cal State Dominguez Hills in Carson at Toro Diamond.
 
East Bay has an overall record of 10-26 on the season with a 6-18 mark in league play.
 
WEEK IN REVIEW
The Pioneers were only able to play two of their scheduled four games against #8 UC San Diego last week after Saturday's doubleheader was cancelled due to poor field conditions at SFSU Softball Field.
 
East Bay did however garner a split in the series picking up an 8-3 win in the doubleheader finale on Friday afternoon.
 
Junior Abby Greer got the start in the first game and gave the Pioneers a solid outing. But after hanging zeroes in the first two innings, Greer ran into trouble in the third and gave up four hits, allowing UCSD to take a 3-1 lead.
 
The Pioneers answered right back in the bottom of the frame, however. Jackie Najera led off with a single, then Emilie Portesi crushed one over the wall in left-center for a two-run homer. It was the start of a memorable day at the plate for the junior.
 
The score stayed 3-3 into the sixth when the Tritons managed to re-take the lead. After a one-out error, Keila Bosinger roped a double into right field to plate the go-ahead run. Three batters later, UCSD added an insurance run with a sacrifice fly.
 
That run proved to be significant, as the Pioneers answered back in the bottom of the sixth with a leadoff double by Jennifer Palmares and a two-out double by Portesi. Unfortunately, the Pioneers stranded Portesi at second base, then left two more runners on base in the seventh as they came up just short of tying the game.
 
Portesi was a perfect 4-for-4 in the loss, knocking in three runs and racking up eight total bases.
 
CSUEB sent freshman Abby Burkholder to the circle for game two, and the rookie showed no sign of nervousness in facing the top team in the conference. She allowed a run on a wild pitch in the third, but was otherwise brilliant through the first six frames, giving up just three hits.
 
Maddie Ramirez drove in the first run with a single, and Sarah Fukushima picked up an RBI with a bases-loaded walk in the second. After the Tritons scored to cut their deficit to 2-1, they proceeded to walk in another CSUEB run in the bottom of the third.
 
The Pioneers broke it open a bit in the fourth, scoring three times after taking advantage of an error on a bunt. Madi Greco got the big hit of the inning, ripping a two-run double into left-center. Greco notched her third RBI of the game with a sac fly the following inning, then later in the fifth, Palmares capped off East Bay's scoring with a two-out single through the hole to make it 8-1.
 
UCSD rallied back for two runs in the seventh inning, which resulted in Taylor Lara coming out of the bullpen to record the final two outs of the CSUEB victory. Burkholder nonetheless earned her second win of the season with 6.1 strong innings.
 
Fukushima reached base four times in the win, going 3-for-3 with a walk. Portesi ended up reaching base seven times in the doubleheader after drawing a pair free passes and finishing 1-for-3.
 
All told, the Pioneer batters drew nine walks and tallied 10 hits in the victory, and they struck out just one time.
 
PIONEER POINTS
No Pioneer hitter has been hotter than Sarah Fukushima, however. Through 36 games, the junior is second in the CCAA with a .516 on-base percentage. She's also ninth in the league with a .384 batting average. Fukushima leads the Pioneers with 22 runs, 38 hits and 57 total bases with four home runs.
 
Junior Emilie Portesi was named CCAA Softball Player of the Week for Apr. 1-7 after reached base seven times in nine plate appearances against UCSD, finishing the day 5-for-7 with two doubles, a homer, two walks, four RBI, and three runs scored.
 
Senior Meghan Araneta has provided a boost this season, hitting a team-best .340 in conference play. Araneta has 25 total hits and 12 RBI with a .500 slugging percentage and .395 on-base percentage on the season. Madi Greco is leading CSUEB with 21 RBI and tied for the team-lead with seven doubles. She is second on the team with 28 hits, with 44 total bases and three home runs.
 
In the circle, veteran pitcher Abby Greer leads East Bay with 59 strikeouts through 93.0 innings tossed in 20 appearences. She is tops on the Pioneers with six wins, seven complete games and 4.82 ERA.
 
SCOUTING CAL STATE DOMINGUEZ HILLS
The Cal State Dominguez Hills Toros enter their series against the Pioneers with a 20-14 overall mark on the season with a 14-12 record in CCAA action after going 4-1 in their last action in the Tournament of Champions. Damari Simon leads the Toros with 41 hits, 31 RBI, seven home runs and a .705 slugging percentage. Alyssa Olague leads Dominguez Hills in the circle with 61 strikeouts and a 7-6 record. Ashley Wies has 9-7 record for CSUDH with 56 strikeouts, five complete games, three saves and 4.28 ERA.