Box Scores: #28 SSU 7, CSUEB 6 | CSUEB 5, #28 SSU 3

HAYWARD, Calif- Alex Todd and O'Koyea Dickson each hit a home run in Tuesday's doubleheader at Cal State East Bay, but Sonoma State was forced to split the weekday doubleheader, winning the opener 7-6 before falling 5-3 in the nightcap at Pioneer Field in Hayward. The split sends the Seawolves to a 23-11 overall record with a 16-11 mark in CCAA play. The Pioneers move to 11-28 (9-23 CCAA).

#28 Sonoma State 7, Cal State East Bay 6

It was a back-and-forth game between the two teams, but it was Sonoma State who drew first blood on a couple of RBI singles by Kyle Jones and Randy Wells in the first. Then, up 2-0 in the second, Cameron Cook added a RBI single to score Kevin Cramer.

The 3-0 lead would hold until the bottom of the third when Cal State East Bay got a RBI single from Christopher Houston to cut the lead to two. The flood gates then opened in the third on starting pitcher Robby White, as he gave up three straight singles to opening the inning, one of which scored the Pioneers second run of the game. Phil Liniger came on and walked the bases loaded with one out then proceeded to walk another run in as CSUEB knotted the game at 3-3. After he struck out Lincoln Clapper, Liniger hit Houston to walk in another run and the Pioneers led 4-3.

On the first pitch of the fifth inning, Dickson took things into his own hands and again tied the game, this time with a deep fly to center field. The score would remain the same until the Seawolves would score three runs in the eighth on two hits and three Cal State East Bay errors to lead 7-4.

However, the Pioneers wouldn't go away quietly and strung together four hits in the bottom of the eighth, scoring two runs to pull within one run at 7-6. Thomas Lee, who came on in relief of Liniger at the beginning of the inning, worked himself out of a two-out, runners on second and third jam, to force a groundout and a strikeout.

After a scoreless top of the ninth by Sonoma State, Lee shut down the Pioneer offense in their last at bat, striking out two of the three batters he faced. He earned his first save of the season in the final two innings of work. Liniger (1-1) got the victory as he tossed four innings of shut out ball, giving up just two hits.

Cook, Dickson, Wells and Cramer had two hits apiece, accounting for eight of the ten SSU hits in the opener. Clapper, Houston, Josh Rush and Skyler Ellis also had two hits each as CSUEB had 11 total hits. Nolan Cassidy (0-1) was tagged with the loss giving up the final three runs to SSU, although unearned.

Cal State East Bay 5, #28 Sonoma State 3

Todd got the scoring going for the Seawolves in the nightcap with a two-out two-run home run in the first, scoring Cramer, who singled with one out.

The 2-0 lead for starter Ian Ocon would last only an inning though, as the Pioneers broke through witha pair of runs in the bottom of the second to tie the game at 2-2. Cal State East Bay would then press on the accelator for three more runs in the fourth on two RBI singles and a run-scoring wild pitch, chasing Ocon from the game.

Sonoma State would get a run in the fifth after a double by Garrett Schwartz that turn into him scoring after a throwing error on the second baseman Scott Shields during the same play. Down 5-3, the Seawolves would leave six runners on base in the final three innings, including three in the sixth, to help the Pioneers to the upset victory in the nightcap on Tuesday.

Ocon (2-3) was tagged with the loss, giving up all five runs in the game. Kendall Davis came on in the fourth and allowed just one hit by Cal State East Bay in two and two-thirds innings of work. Todd had two hits and two RBI with a run scored, including the two run shot in the first.

The Pioneers Zachary Wong (1-1) got the victory after four innings of work, allowing four hits and three runs. He walked three and struckout four. A.J. Gallardo earned his first save of the season as he pitched the final out of the game.

Sonoma State will face Bay Area-rival San Francisco State this weekend. Friday's single game will begin in San Francisco at 2 p.m. before the series turns to Rohnert Park on Saturday for a doubleheader, starting at 11 a.m. The two teams will then return to the city on Sunday for a single game.