Pioneers' Late Rally Falls Short in Loss to Simpson

  • February 19, 2010

HAYWARD, Calif. -  A ninth-inning rally fell short as the Cal State East Bay baseball team lost to visiting Simpson University, 5-4, in a non-conference game on Feb. 19.  After one was out, Devin Grigg got an infield hit moving Gatehouse to second. Nick McManus moved both runners up on a groundout. Levi Josewski was intentionally walked to load the bases. Charlie Sharrer popped up to second to end the rally and the game.

Kenny Button put Simpson ahead in the first inning with a two-run home run. The Pioneers scored twice in the bottom of the first on a Grigg RBI single and a sacrifice fly off the bat of Josewski.

Grigg hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the fourth to put the Pioneers ahead 4-3. Simpson University scored twice in the seventh on a Jared Jordan run scoring single and a RBI double by Aarason Perry.

Dustin Stoddard was the winning pitcher for Simpson while Shane Hillier recorded the save. Victor Guerrero, who recorded seven strikeouts in seven innings, took the loss for the Pioneers. Reliever Paul Jinkens threw two scoreless innings with three strikeouts, while Grigg was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with three RBI.

Simpson University is now 2-9 while Cal State East Bay drops to 2-6 on the year. The series will resume tomorrow with a doubleheader at Cal State East Bay beginning at 10 a.m.