Despite being swept at home over the weekend by Cal State Los Angeles, ju- nior utility player for the Cal State East Bay baseball team Rudy Navarro is the Pioneer of the Week.

“The CCAA pitching this year is the best I’ve seen in four years. [Navarro] is now seeing how he is being attacked and making adjustments,” CSUEB Assistant Coach Darren Lewis said. “That’s what good hitters do. Most importantly, he competes no matter what.”

Navarro was stellar at the plate as he collected seven hits in 11 at bats during the four-game home stand. Navarro re- corded three doubles, two walks, and knocked in two of the eight total runs put up by the Pioneers during the series.

“He got me in the third on a single,” CSULA junior pitcher Brandon Quinte- ro said. “Hits happen when you have to throw strikes with runners on, but he was locked in.”

Navarro is a junior from Corcoran in his first season with the Pioneers after he transferred from the College of the Sequoias in Visalia. Navarro had a .301 batting average in 47 games last season for the Giants that included 52 hits, 11 doubles and 24 runs batted in.

He also accumulated a .991 fielding percentage after he committed just one error in the field as a utility player in multiple positions. He was a team cap- tain on the 2014 COS squad where he also earned a spot on the Central Valley All-Conference first team.

In the 9-7 extra inning loss on Friday Navarro had four hits in five at bats that included two doubles, two runs batted in, and three defensive putouts in right field for the Pioneers defensively.
“He was a tough out,” CSULA Head Coach Vince Beringhele said about Na- varro’s performance on Friday against CSULA.

In a team-high 89 at bats Navarro has 22 hits, seven doubles, 13 RBI’s, and a homerun for a .247 batting average. Navarro has been a bright spot in a tough season so far for CSUEB who are 7-20 overall and 4-16 in California Collegiate Athletic Association conference games.

Next up for Navarro and the Pioneers is a road trip to Rohnert Park to take on Sonoma State at Seawolf Diamond from April 2 to April 4. The Seawolves are 17-16 over- all and 11-13 in CCAA conference games so far this season.