FREMONT, Calif. -- The Cal State East Bay softball team's 10th victory of the season came against a top-10 team in the nation as the Pioneers split Friday's doubleheader with No. 8 UC San Diego at Ohlone College.

After waiting out a rain delay of two-and-a-half hours, the Tritons hung on to win the series opener by a score of 5-4. But the Pioneers bounced back in game two with a breakout offensive performance, scoring in each of the first five innings to pull away for an 8-3 victory. 

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. 

Meanwhile, the Pioneer lineup put relentless pressure on the Triton pitchers and defenders. They loaded the bases in each of the first four innings. And although they stranded quite a few runners, the Pioneers were able to add to their lead every time they came to bat in support of Burkholder.

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.

East Bay will look to keep that momentum going when the series concludes Saturday with another doubleheader. The action will move to San Francisco State with first pitch scheduled for 11 a.m.