March 12, 2005

Final Stats

SUNNYVALE - Junior Kristina Thorson picked up two wins as the No. 2 California softball team defeated Sacramento State, 8-1, and Iowa, 7-2, on Saturday to move into the finals of the National Invitational Softball Tournament at the Twin Creeks Sports Complex.

Cal (21-1) will face Arizona State in an all-Pac-10 showdown on Sunday at 11 a.m. After winning their two pool games on Friday, the Sun Devils (21-4) defeated UC Davis, 11-0, and Colorado State, 12-0, to reach the championship game.

Aided by two Hornet errors, runs by center fielder Kaleo Eldredge, second baseman Jessica Pamanian and pinch runner Jessica Vernaglia gave Cal a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Sacramento State answered with a run in the bottom of the inning before Pamanian pushed the Cal advantage to 4-1 in the third, doubling home left fielder Lindsay James.

Cal added three runs in the sixth while catcher Haley Woods swatted her seventh homer of the year in the seventh, a solo shot to complete the Cal scoring.

Thorson struck out eight to pick up her first victory of the day.

Eldredge opened game No. 2 with a solo home run, her second of the season to give Cal a 1-0 lead. The senior hit for the cycle in the doubleheader, tripling to lead off the opener and collecting a base hit and double in the nightcap. Eldredge's single plated designated player Emily Friedman in the second inning.

Iowa scored two runs off of Cal starter Kelly Anderson in the fifth, chasing her from the game. Thorson, however, struck out six Hawkeyes - including the Iowa side in the seventh - in two and two-thirds innings of work to pick up the victory.

Cal scored five runs in the fifth and sixth innings to earn the win, highlighted by two-run singles from third baseman Jeana Gevas and Pamanian.

Softball Result
National Invitational Softball Tournament
Twin Creeks Sports Complex; Sunnyvale, Calif.

Game No. 1
California        301  003  1  -  8 6 0
Sacramento State  100  000  0  -  1 5 4
Thorson and Woods; Ferguson, Cinque (3), Fryou (5) and Coyne
W - Thorson (10-0); L - Ferguson
2B - Pamanian; 3B - Eldredge; HR - Woods
Records: Cal 21-1; SSU 12-10

Game No. 2
Iowa              000  020  0  -  2 5  2
California        110  032  X  -  7 11 1
Arnold, Birocci (4) and Baugh; Anderson, Thorson (5) and Woods
W - Thorson (11-0); L - Birocci
2B - Murray, Heidgerken, Eldredge, Spencer; HR - Eldredge
Records: Cal 22-1; Iowa 18-4