May 19, 2000

Box Score

FRESNO - Senior second baseman Lisa Iancin drove in three runs and Jocelyn Forest tossed five innings of relief to lead the 10th-ranked Cal softball team to a 3-2 win over 12th-rated Cal State Fullerton in a winner's bracket game of its NCAA regional Friday night.

The Bears (47-22), who are seeded third in the six-team, double-elimination tournament, are the only remaining undefeated team in the regional and advance to play the winner of top-seeded Fresno State against No. 2 seed Fullerton Saturday at 7:30 p.m. If Cal wins, the Bears will advance to the championship game Sunday afternoon.

Cal jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when the Bears sent eight batters to the plate. Shortstop Eryn Manahan led off with a single and designated player Kristen Morley followed with a walk. After a sacrifice bunt moved the runners up one base, first baseman Veronica Nelson received an intentional walk. Iancin then followed with a single to center to score both Manahan and Morley.

Cal added a run in the fifth inning for a 3-0 lead. Morley led off with a bunt single, stole second base and went to third on a wild pitch. Iancin drove in her third run of the game with a single to left.

Fullerton responded with two runs in the top of the sixth inning. Forest, after retiring the first nine batters she faced, gave up a leadoff single to Kristy Osborne. Forest got the next two out, but Yasmin Mossadeghi hit a 2-2 pitch well over the left field fence for a two-run homer. The rally continued when Monica Lucatero and Jodie Cox both drew walks to put runners on first and second. However, Jessica Maloney bounced to shortstop to end the inning.

Forest improved her record to 22-12 with her second win of the tournament, Thursday, she shut out Florida, 2-0. Nicole DiSalvio received the start, but after Fullerton touched her for a couple of singles and several hard line drives, Forest entered the game to start the third inning. In her relief effort, Forest struck out eight.

"I thought Jocelyn pitched a tremendous game for us tonight," said Cal head coach Diane Ninemire. "I felt Fullerton was started to get good contact on Nicole and we needed to show them something off-speed. There's still a long way to go in this regional, but we're in as good of position as we can be."

In Friday's other action, No. 4 seed Florida upset top-seeded Fresno State, 1-0, while No. 5 seed Texas eliminated No. 6 seed Maryland-Baltimore County with a 6-0 victory.