HAYWARD, Calif – In their first two games of a 10-game stretch in California, MSU Moorhead softball dropped two games to Cal State East Bay. 
 
In game one, the Pioneers defeated the Dragons 2-0 and would go on to win game two 5-3.
 
Game One
 
The Pioneers struck early in the bottom half of the second inning. East Bay brought home a run on an RBI single to take a 1-0 lead. Reece Dahl would work out of a jam later in the inning to hold the Pioneers to just one run. While East Bay would collect seven total hits through the first four innings, Dahl would continue to hold them to just the one second-inning run. Conversely, MSUM would struggle at the plate, only having one hit through the first five innings. That came thanks to an Azalya Lopez single.
 
Annika Norman would work out a walk in the top of the fifth to give the Dragons just their second baserunner of the contest. However, MSUM would not be able to advance Norman beyond first base in the frame. The Pioneers would respond in the home half, working out two walks on Kaelyn Leverson and scoring a run on an RBI single to lead 2-0 with two innings remaining.
 
MSUM would be unable to find any answers offensively, only registering one hit in the game. Cal State East Bay took game one 2-0.
 
Game Two
 
MSUM could not take advantage of two runners in scoring position in the top of the second inning to take an early lead. Lopez led off the inning doubling with Jordey Brown-Smith reaching on the ensuing at-bat. Evey Evans would move them both into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Yet, the Dragons were unable to push any runs across in the inning. The Pioneers took advantage in the bottom half, plating two runs on a pair of RBI singles. 
 
Both Lizzy Davis and Mack Gallagher would single in the top of the third in an attempt to answer East Bay. Eliya Johnson would drive in Davis for MSUM's first run of the day, singling to right field. Azalya Lopez, the California native, would continue her strong day on the next at-bat, smashing a double to center to score both Gallagher and Johnson. With the pair of runs, MSUM took a 3-2 lead midway through the game. The Pioneers would knot the game at three in the bottom half of the inning.
 
The Pioneers would score a go-ahead run in the bottom of the fifth inning on a Dragon fielding error. The two teams combined for eight errors by game's end. East Bay would bring around an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth to secure a 5-3 win.
 
Up Next
 
MSUM (11-4) remains in California as they travel to Seaside for a doubleheader with Cal State Monterey Bay on Friday beginning at 2 p.m. Central.