HAYWARD, Calif. — On a sun‑splashed Sunday at Pioneer Baseball Field, Cal State East Bay split its doubleheader with Central Washington, falling 7‑5 in the opener before responding with a crisp and authoritative 4‑1 victory in the seven‑inning finale. The day featured explosive offensive bursts, momentum‑swinging miscues, and a dominant complete‑game performance to close the series.
Game 1: Central Washington 7, Cal State East Bay 5
Cal State East Bay set an early tone in the bottom of the first, stringing together a sequence of disciplined at‑bats and clutch knocks to jump ahead 4‑0. With one out and the bases loaded, Gio Martini delivered the Pioneers' first blow, singling sharply to plate two and ignite the scoring. Alijah Ramos reloaded the bases after being hit by a pitch, setting the stage for Carson Cripe, whose sacrifice fly brought Dylan Unangst home for a 3‑0 advantage. The inning's final run came when Martini crossed the plate on a passed ball, punctuating a four‑run surge.
The Pioneers extended their lead in the bottom of the fourth when Dominick Najar lifted a sacrifice fly to make it 5‑0, seemingly giving East Bay control. But the Wildcats stormed back in a grinding top of the fifth, taking advantage of a passed ball, two RBI groundouts, and a trio of extra‑base hits to erupt for six runs and seize a 6‑5 lead.
Central Washington added an insurance run in the top of the ninth on an RBI single from Andre Garza, stretching the margin to 7‑5. Although East Bay generated several chances in the final innings with runners in scoring position, the breakthrough hit never arrived, and the Wildcats escaped with the opener.
East Bay was led offensively by Martini's early spark and consistent traffic on the basepaths, but missed opportunities loomed large in the defeat.
Game 2: Cal State East Bay 4, Central Washington 1 (7 innings)
The Pioneers flipped the script in the series finale by capitalizing on a string of Wildcat miscues in the bottom of the second. Martini was struck by a pitch to open the inning, Ramos dropped a perfectly placed bunt for a single, and Kyle Dyer reached on a dropped throw during a sacrifice bunt attempt — a sequence that allowed Martini to race home for a 1‑0 lead. Nick Thomson then lofted a sacrifice fly to score Ramos, and Marc DiCarlo Jr. ripped an RBI single to bring in Dyer, capping a three‑run inning born from sharp execution and opportunistic pressure.
Thomson provided another spark in the bottom of the fourth, leading off with a triple before scoring on Najar's RBI groundout to push the advantage to 4‑0.
On the mound, Jaxen McAdara delivered a masterclass. The right‑hander carried a no‑hit bid into the fifth before Andre Garza doubled and eventually scored Central Washington's lone run. Unbothered, McAdara closed the door with authority, spinning a seven‑inning complete game with seven strikeouts and no walks. He improved to 2‑0 with a 1.50 ERA on the season, navigating the final frames with poise to secure East Bay's split and series finale victory.
Thomson finished the game 2‑for‑2 with an RBI and a run scored, continuing his steady production. Through Sunday, Logan Stelling holds a .400 batting average, tied for sixth in the CCAA among qualified hitters.
Cal State East Bay (6-5) returns to Pioneer Baseball Field on Friday, February 27, hosting Saint Martin's in the opener of a four‑game non‑conference series. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.
