March 10, 2000

Box Score

SUNNYVALE - Freshman first baseman Veronica Nelson tied the Cal season home run record with her 10th of the year to lead the sixth-ranked Golden Bears to a 4-1 victory over Utah State in the opening game of the National Invitational Softball Tournament Friday.

Cal (23-1) pounded out 10 hits to back the three-hit pitching of freshman Jennifer Deering.

The Bears jumped on Utah State starter Kelly Warner for three runs in the third inning. After Nelson's solo shot, Eryn Manahan had a sacrifice fly and Courtney Scott added an RBI single.

Cal put up another run in the fourth inning on Kristen Morley's run-scoring single.

Nelson tied the Cal home run mark set by Melanie McCart in 1997.