BOX SCORE 1 | BOX SCORE 2 GAME 1:  Cal State East Bay 5, #18 Sonoma State 2 -- Box Score
GAME 2:  Cal State East Bay 5, #18 Sonoma State 4 -- Box Score

ROHNERT PARK -- The Sonoma State softball team banged out 19 hits in two games, but the bats couldn't come up clutch when they were most needed -- going 4 for 19 with runners in scoring position -- resulting in a pair of losses, 5-2 and 5-4, to visiting Cal State East Bay on a warm Friday afternoon at the Seawolf Softball Field.  The Seawolves move to .500 in conference play at 5-5, falling to 12-7 overall.  The Pioneers, meanwhile improve to 6-10 and 4-6 in the CCAA.

Cal State East Bay pitcher Lauren Zweigle (5-5) earned the victory in both games, tossing a complete game in the opener before coming on in relief the pitch the final four and two thirds innings in the nightcap, allowing 11 hits, but just three runs (two earned) in 11.2 innings combined.  Samantha Lipperd (7-3) and Amanda Llerena (5-4) were tagged with the losses.

GAME 1:  Cal State East Bay 5, #18 Sonoma State 2 -- Box Score

It didn't take long for Sonoma State to put a run across the plate, but it would be due to a defensive miscue by Cal State East Bay right fielder Vika Kafoa.  Vanessa Currie got on base with a two-out single up the middle, before Ali Palermo singled to right field.  It was on that play that the ball went through Kafoa's legs and all the way to the right field wall, allowing Currie to score from first for the 1-0 lead.

It was in the top of the fourth that the Pioneers began to take advantage of Lipperd, eventually putting four runs up in the inning to take a 4-1 lead -- and all with two outs.  Lipperd retired the first two batters, then Taryn Thomas lined a double down the right field line.  Cal State East Bay then drew four straight walks, one of which was a hit by pitch, plating two runs in the process.  Then, Sara Pacioni brought home two runs on a single to left field for the Pioneers' 4-1 lead.

The visitors threatened again in the fifth inning, but Lipperd worked herself out of a bases-loaded situation to keep CSUEB within three runs.  However, an inning later, the Pioneers tacked on another run when Lipperd fielded a groundball with two outs and threw it wide of Palermo at first base, allowing the runner on third base to score on the play, increasing the Cal State East Bay lead to 5-1.

Currie again came up big in the sixth inning, leading off the frame with a double down the left field line.  After Palermo struckout, Hayley Condon singled home Currie for the Seawolves' second run of the day.  Keisi Chinen followed with another single, putting SSU runners on first and second with one out, but Holli Brown lined into an unassisted double play to Pioneer first baseman Emily Montanez, ending the threat.

In the top of the seventh, Cal State East Bay again loaded the bases leading 5-2, but Lipperd again got out of the jam unscathed, keeping the deficit at three runs.  It wouldn't matter as Zweigle shut down the four batters she faced in the bottom of the seventh to earn the victory.

Currie led the Seawolves offensively, going 2 for 2 with a pair of runs while four other SSU players had one hit.  Lipperd gave up seven hits, five runs (four earned) and four walks, striking out seven.

Zweigle scattered six hits and allowed just the two runs (one earned), walking one and striking out nine.

GAME 2:  Cal State East Bay 5, #18 Sonoma State 4 -- Box Score

In game two, the Seawolves found themselves with excellent chances to blow the game wide open, even after giving up three runs to the Pioneers in the top of the first.  However, Sonoma would leave 10 runners on base, going 6 for 20 with runners on base, including just 3 for 13 with runners in scoring position.  In fact, SSU loaded the bases twice, but came up empty each time.

Llerena allowed three runs in the first, then another in the second, but she would get support by the Seawolf offense, as the hosts plated one run in each of the first three innings to trail 4-3 early on.  15 of the combined 21 hits by both squads all came in the first three innings.  From the fourth inning on, hits were hard to come by, but Sonoma State and Cal State East Bay found ways to threaten to add runs to the scoreboard.

In the top of the fourth, the Pioneers plated a run without virtue of a base hit, but with two defensive errors by the Seawolves.  It would prove to be a crucial run as the visitors led 5-3.

Sonoma State got within one run on an RBI by Condon in the bottom of the fifth and then had the chance to tie and take the lead in the sixth, but Palermo lined out to Sara Holdridge at third base to again end the threat.  The Seawolves also came up empty in the seventh as Zweigle earned her second victory in as many games.  She survived 13 SSU hits, including a 4 for 4 effort from Ancia Purdy and 3 for 4 from Currie.  Chinen added a pair of hits in the loss as the three combined for nine of the 13 Seawolf hits.

Meanwhile, Llerena gave up eight hits, five runs (four earned) and two walks, striking out seven. 

Sonoma State and Cal State East Bay will wrap up the four-game series on Saturday with a doubleheader, beginning at Noon.