HAYWARD, Calif. - At Pioneer Baseball Field on Friday afternoon, the Cal State East Bay baseball team fell to the Menlo Oaks in a back-and-forth battle that ended with a heartbreaking 9-7 defeat as a ninth inning surge by the Oaks proved too much to overcome.
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GAME SUMMARY |
The Pioneers found themselves in an early hole, trailing 1-0, but quickly responded in the bottom of the third when Luke Brown ignited the offense with an RBI triple, knotting the score at 1-1. East Bay then seized control in the fifth inning, with Brown driving in Aidan Morton on a groundout to take a 2-1 lead. The Pioneers' bats stayed hot as Camron Grant delivered a clutch two-run single, extending the advantage to 4-1.
Menlo chipped away at the lead, cutting it to 4-3 in the sixth, but the Pioneers seemed to put the game out of reach with a three-run outburst in the eighth. Jaylen Hodges came through with a clutch two-run single, and Dominick Najar, showcasing heads-up baserunning as a pinch-runner, scored on a passed ball to give East Bay a commanding 7-3 lead heading into the final frame.
However, the Oaks had other plans, mounting a stunning comeback in the top of the ninth. Zach Dyer's leadoff double sparked a rally that saw Menlo plate six runs on four RBI singles and a sacrifice fly, flipping the script and taking a 9-7 lead. The Pioneers were unable to respond in the bottom of the ninth, as Menlo secured the victory to open the series.
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NOTABLE STATS |
- Camron Grant led the offensive charge for East Bay, going 3-for-5 with two RBIs and a run scored.
- Luke Brown and Jaylen Hodges each contributed significantly, both notching two hits and two RBIs to keep the Pioneers in contention throughout the game.
- Gabe Tanner delivered a stellar performance on the mound, pitching 7.0 innings in a no-decision while allowing just one earned run and striking out nine Oaks batters.
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RECORDS |
Cal State East Bay: 1-4
Menlo: 1-0
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UP NEXT FOR CAL STATE EAST BAY |
The Pioneers will look to regroup and even the series as they hit the road for their first away game of the season. Cal State East Bay travels to Atherton, California, to face Menlo at Cartan Field on Saturday, February 8. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. as the team aims to bounce back from a tough loss.
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