Pioneers Split Doubleheader to Close Series with UCSD

  • February 20, 2010


LA JOLLA, Calif. - After getting off to a late start, the Cal State East Bay softball team split the final doubleheader of the series with UC San Diego on Saturday. The Pioneers (2-6, 2-6 CCAA) fell, 3-0, in game one before topping the Tritons, 4-3, after holding off a late rally in the series finale.

Game one saw starting pitchers Lauren Zweigle and Camille Gaito each post three shutout innings to start things off. UC San Diego broke through in the bottom of the fourth, taking a 1-0 lead on an RBI single from Nicole Saari after a triple by Kris Lesovsky. Zweigle held the Tritons to the single run, however, getting Saari out at second on a fielder's choice and striking out Rhiannon Ousley to end the inning.

San Diego got to the Pioneers again in the fifth, scoring two insurance runs, though Gaito wouldn't need them. The Tritons laid down five hits and saw Dyanna Imoto and Lesovsky driving in the two runs, giving UCSD a 3-0 lead through five innings.

Though the Pioneers tried to close the gap, they left three on in the final two innings to give Gaito and the Tritons the shutout win. Freshman Emily Montanez and senior Sarah Davini both went 2-for-3 on the day to lead East Bay. Zweigle took the loss, allowing three runs on eight hits in 4.2 innings of work.

Game two saw the Pioneers become the aggressors for the first time in the series, getting on the board first in the second inning. With two outs and runners on first and second, junior Chelsea McEachran singled bringing pinch runner Tia Wunder to third before she scored on an error by the UCSD shortstop. A single from starting pitcher Cat Schorn loaded the bases, but Triton starter Christine Zankich got a ground out to end the inning with CSUEB leading 1-0.

East Bay struck again in the third, as Davini drew a two-out walk and Montanez followed with a double to center to drive in the run. Though freshman Devon Mercurio kept things going with a single to move Montanez to third, Zankich again held the Pioneers to just one run with a strike out to close out the top of the inning.

Trailing by two through 4.5 innings, the Tritons finally broke through in their half of the fifth getting a run on two hits, but leaving two on. East Bay answered back immediately in the sixth, as a single from junior Nikki Freiberg with one out and two on loaded the bases for Davini. Her groundball brought junior Sarah Hasenfus around to score and was followed by an error at second to bring freshman Ashlee Coronado in with the eventual game-winning run.

After allowing no hits in the sixth, Schorn got into trouble in the bottom of the seventh, bringing Mandi Eliades to the plate with the bases loaded. Eliades' ground out to first drove in one, closing the East Bay lead to 4-2. Lesovsky drove in another on a ground out to third before Saari lined out to end the game and give Schorn her second win of the season.

Montanez capped a stellar day with a 1-for-3 performance and one walk in game two, driving in one run. Davini also went 1-for-3, scoring one and drawing one walk. Schorn allowed three runs on six hits with one strikeout in seven innings in the win, while Zankich took the loss, giving up four runs on seven hits and striking out five.

The Pioneers return to action next weekend, hosting Cal State San Bernardino for a pair of doubleheaders on Feb. 26 and 27. Friday's matchup with the Coyotes is scheduled for a 1 p.m. first pitch.