The No. 13/14 California Golden Bears (34-15, 9-7 Pac-10) defeated the Arizona State Sun Devils (37-15, 7-10 Pac-10) 4-2 Saturday afternoon at Levine-Fricke Field.
The start of the game was delayed two hours because of morning rain and poor field conditions after yesterday's rain out. Once the game got underway, however, it was a crisp, dry day and fairly perfect softball weather.
The Bears took a quick 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when sophomore first baseman Valerie Arioto took a 1-1 pitch over the center field wall. The homer was the team-leading 10th shot of the season for Arioto.
The Bears plated a pair in the bottom of the third. Freshman left fielder Jamia Reid singled through the left side to start the inning. She stole second and then scored after senior DP Gina Leomiti singled into right field. Sophomore catcher Sanoe Kekahuna doubled to bring home Leomiti, staking the Bears to a 3-0 lead.
Arizona State had their an opportunity to take over the game in the fourth inning. After getting the first two runners aboard with no outs. The Bears got two outs without surrendering a run, but starting pitcher Marissa Drewrey had a pair of runners in scoring position. She battled the next batter, but ended up surrendering a walk. With the bases loaded, two outs, she was battling the batter at the plate again, only to brush her elbow with a 3-2 pitch to drive in a run. Drewrey induced a grounder to third to get out of the inning with just the one run.
The Bears got the run back in the fifth when freshman right fielder Elia Reid opened the frame with a single through the left side of the infield. After advancing to second on a sac bunt, junior Taylor Kelly walked to put two aboard. The Sun Devils got an infield pop up for the second out of the inning. A grounder to second looked like it would retire Cal, but a throwing error by the second baseman had freshman center fielder Frani Echavarria safe at first. As the fielders waited for the call at first, Reid raced home to score and give the Bears a 4-1 lead.
Arizona State plated a run in the top of the seventh after getting their lead runner aboard on a ball hit into the hole at short. She came around to score on a sac fly, making it a 4-2 game, but Drewrey induced a ground out to second to end the game, securing the 4-2 victory for the Bears.
Drewrey earned the complete game victory, her 20th win of the season. She allowed four hits, two earned runs, walking six and striking out three.
Jamia Reid and Gina Leomiti each had a pair of hits. Leomiti was officially 2-for-2 at the plate as she also walked twice.
With the victory, the Bears improve to 10-1 at home this season and continue to gain ground in the Pac-10 standings. The Bears are currently in fifth place in the Conference with four games remaining on the Pac-10 schedule.
The Bears will play their final home game of the season Sunday, May 3 when they take on Arizona State at 12 p.m. A pregame ceremony honoring the Bears two seniors, Gina Leomiti and Carrie Arth, will take place before the starting line ups.
