Feb. 19, 2010
Final Stats
LAS VEGAS - The No. 11/12-ranked California opened its weekend at the Louisville Desert Classic with an 8-1 victory over the University of Illinois at Chicago on Friday morning. The Golden Bears improve to 5-1 overall in just their second weekend of play and will next face off against Utah at 11:15 a.m. on Friday.
The first inning was a good indicator about how the game would go - in the Bears' favor. Freshman pitcher Jolene Henderson sent the Flame line-up down in order, getting the lead-off hitter to pop up and issuing to strikeouts (one swinging, one looking).
In the bottom of the same inning, freshman Lindsey Ziegenhirt demonstrated why she earned a starting spot with a single to left field that plated Shannon Thomas, who reached on a single of her own, to give Cal a 1-0 lead.
The third inning was the only one in which the Bears batted the minimum, but that changed in the second end of the fourth inning. Sophomore transfer Jace Williams started things off with a double to center field, and while Elia Reid, Williams moved herself into scoring position by stealing second. Elia Reia then singled to left to drive in Williams.
Then it was Reid's time to turn on the engines, and stole second. Taylor Kelly then sent a pitch flying over the field in right center to distance the Bears, 4-0. With the Bears lighting up the UIC pitching, they placed started Miller with Orellana following Kelly's two-RBI roundtripper. It took just two batters for Cal to adjust its hitting with Frani Echavarria and Jamia Reid grounding out before Shannon Thomas hit a solo shot through the right side. Thanks to the Bears' four hits, Cal ended the fourth with four runs and a newly increased lead at 5-0.
The Flames finally produced some offense in the top half of the fifth frame on an impressive two-out rally. After Henderson had flamed the first two UIC batters, pinch hitter Kehr singled to right. Next up was Macias, who also drove the ball to right field for a single, which advanced Kehr to second. After Donyanavard pint hit and reach on an error, moving the runners over, the Flames scored off a Chavez single to left field for their only run of the game.
In Cal's half of the fifth, it was the Bears' turn for a two-out rally. Elia Reid began the offensive with a walk and then promptly stole second. Kelly hit an RBI single to right to plate Reid. Kelly stole second herself to put a runner at second with Echvarria up to bat, who fouled two pitches off before double to left to score Kelly. Facing a new pitcher, Jamia Reid finished Cal's runs off with a clean triple to left center, driving in Echavarria for Cal's final run of the game.
Next, the Bears face off against Utah in the final Friday game.
