May 18, 2000

Box Score

FRESNO - Junior right fielder Paige Bowie went 2-for-2 with a run scored and an RBI to lead the 10th-ranked Cal softball team to a 2-0 victory over Florida in the first game of its NCAA regional Thursday afternoon.

The third-seeded Bears (46-22) advance to play No. 2 seed Cal State Fullerton, a 2-1 winner over Texas, Friday at 7:30 p.m., while No. 4 seed Florida (44-29) will meet the Fresno State-Maryland-Baltimore County winner Friday afternoon.

Cal scored single runs in the third and fourth innings to back the four-hit pitching of sophomore Jocelyn Forest.

"I thought Jocelyn Forest came out an pitched a great game today," said Cal head coach Diane Ninemire. "Florida never really put together a scoring threat. We came out with the defensive plays we neeeded. Offensively, Paige Bowie and Amber Phillips both had good days at the plate. It was good to see both of the lefties hit the ball well."

Cal jumped on top in the third inning when Bowie led off with an infield hit to shortstop and went to second base on a sacrifice bunt by freshman catcher Courtney Scott. Phillips, in her first game back after missing three weeks with a hip injury, hit a grounder that glanced off the glove of diving Florida second baseman Jenn Cordero for a single, allowing Bowie to come across for the run.

In the fourth inning, first baseman Veronica Nelson singled to center and was replaced by pinch runner Kristi Robles. Left fielder Pauline Duenas singled to right center, and both runners advanced an extra base when Gator right fielder Ashley Boone overran the ball. Bowie followed with a solid single to left field, scoring Robles from third base.

Forest improved her record to 21-12 by scatttering four singles and striking out seven. Florida's biggest threat came in the top of the seventh inning when the Gators put runners on first and second with two out. However, Forest coaxed Kortney Edge to pop out to shortstop to end the game.

Bowie, a Fresno native who entered the game with a .133 average, had two hits in a game for just the second time this year. After leading the Bears with a .318 average last season, she has struggled throughout the 2000 season after completing her duties with the Cal women's basketball team.

The six-team, double-elimination tournament continues through Sunday, with the winner going to the College World Series next week in Oklahoma City.