HAYWARD, Calif. - The Cal State East Bay Pioneers baseball team opened a three-game non-conference series on Friday against Simpson (Calif.) from Pioneer Field with an 8-1 victory.
After three scoreless innings, the Red Hawks took a 1-0 lead on an RBI groundout by Jaxon Hotta.
However in the bottom half of the frame, the Pioneers tied the game up at 1-1 with an RBI double hit by Nick Thomson.
The bats for East Bay came to life in the bottom of the sixth. With Jaylen Hodges and Thomson in scoring position, Dominick Najar put the Pioneers ahead with a sacrifice fly RBI. After the Pioneers went ahead, Danelle Daniels launched his third home run in as many games, also driving in Thomson for a 4-1 lead.
After Daniels' home run, Luke Brown singled, then Jacob Klinovsky doubled for two runners in scoring position. Gio Martini then doubled in both runners for a 6-1 lead.
And the rally continued after Martini doubled. Quinn Ayres hit his second home run of the season, a two-run shot to give East Bay seven runs in the inning and an 8-1 lead.
The Red Hawks were held off the scoreboard in the final three innings as the Pioneers went on to an 8-1 win.
Gabe Tanner picked up the win to improve to 2-0 on the season, allowing just one run in 7.0 innings pitched with eight strikeouts.
- Ayres, Daniels, Klinovsky, Martini, Hodges and Thomson had two hits each on Friday.
- Daniels has two hits in each of the last three games for East Bay and three home runs in as many games.
- Klinovsky leads the Pioneers among qualifying hitters in batting average at .333.
- Tanner has a 1.50 earned run average, lowest among qualifying pitchers in the CCAA.
- Steven Palermo and Nick Balch combined for 2.0 innings of scoreless relief pitching.
Cal State East Bay: 5-7
Simpson (Calif.): 5-18
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UP NEXT FOR CAL STATE EAST BAY |
The Pioneers finish the series with Simpson on Saturday, March 1 for a doubleheader. First pitch in game one from Pioneer Baseball Field is set for 11 a.m.
