HAYWARD, Calif. — No. 16 Cal State East Bay advanced to the CCAA Championship game with a 3-0 win over Cal State San Marcos on Friday morning at Pioneer Field.
The Pioneers set the tone early and never let it go.
Rylee Gomez opened the scoring with a solo home run in the first, giving East Bay an early edge and immediate momentum. An inning later, the Pioneers added on as Jeslyn Cuellar lined an RBI single to extend the lead to 2-0, capitalizing on early opportunities against one of the top teams in the conference.
From there, it was about control.
Marissa Quintero delivered in the biggest moment of the season, tossing a complete-game shutout. She scattered seven hits, struck out six, and worked out of multiple scoring threats to keep San Marcos off the board. The Cougars put pressure on throughout, including loading the bases in the fifth, but Quintero answered each time to preserve the lead.
East Bay added an important insurance run late.
Brynn Gentry sparked the seventh with a single and moved into scoring position before Gomez came through again with an RBI single, pushing the lead to 3-0 and giving the Pioneers breathing room heading into the final frame.
The offense finished with eight hits, with Gomez leading the way with three, including the home run and two RBIs. Jasmyn Morales added a pair of hits, while the lineup consistently applied pressure and forced San Marcos to defend throughout.
With the win, No. 16 Cal State East Bay improves to 40-14 overall and moves into the CCAA Championship game, set for Saturday at 11:00 a.m. against an opponent to be determined.
