HAYWARD, Calif. — At Pioneer Baseball Field on Sunday, Cal State East Bay battled to the final out but fell 7-4 to Menlo College in the series finale, as the Oaks capitalized on early chances and added late insurance while the Pioneers mounted multiple rallies.
Menlo seized the lead in the top of the first inning. Shane Aldridge opened with a double and scored on a fielding error on the next play. Two walks extended the frame, and a two-run single made it 3-0 despite a pair of strikeouts that briefly stalled the threat. The Oaks added a fourth run in the top of the second when Matthew Morrison bounced a ground-rule double to plate Aldridge.
East Bay (3-4) answered in the bottom of the second. Dylan Unangst, Gio Martini and William James produced three straight singles to load the bases. Nick Thomson lifted a sacrifice fly to bring home Unangst for the Pioneers' first run, and Micah Cervantes followed with a run-scoring single to drive in Martini, trimming the deficit to 4-2.
Menlo rebuilt its cushion in the top of the fourth. An RBI single and a throwing error on the same play brought in two runs for a 6-2 margin. The Pioneers manufactured a run in the bottom of the seventh to stay within reach: Thomson led off with a single, moved to second on a Cervantes groundout, stole third, and scored on an RBI groundout by Alijah Ramos to make it 6-3.
With two outs in the top of the ninth, Menlo loaded the bases on a single and two walks, and Marcus McClenon was hit by a pitch to force in a run for 7-3.
East Bay's final push came in the bottom of the ninth, when James led off with a double to right. Back-to-back groundouts brought him around to score. Although a walk followed to prolong a possible rally, the Oaks notched a strikeout to end the game and take the series, two games to one.
William James finished with two hits and scored twice. Cervantes drove in two runs. Out of the bullpen, David Howard and Noah Zirkle each recorded three strikeouts to keep East Bay within striking distance late.
Cal State East Bay returns to Pioneer Baseball Field on Saturday, February 21 to open a two-day non-conference set against Central Washington. The teams will play back-to-back doubleheaders, with game one at 11 a.m. and game two at 2 p.m., as the Pioneers look to build momentum at home.
