March 13, 2010
Final Stats
BERKELEY - The No. 13 California softball team earned an 8-0 mercy win over Cal State Fullerton on Saturday afternoon at Levine-Fricke Field in the first day of the California Tournament. With the win, the Golden Bears improve to 17-4 overall. Cal scored one run in the bottom of the first and dropped seven scores on the Titans (3-20) in the fourth to end the game after just five innings.
In the top of the first, Shannon Thomas reached with a powerful single well into center field and stole second three pitches into Valerie Arioto's at bat, which resulted in a walk. With Thomas at second and Arioto at first, Jace Williams cranked the fourth pitch she saw into center field for an RBI single, plating Thomas.
The Bears started in early on the Titans in the bottom of the fourth with senior shortstop Taylor Kelly walking. Freshman first baseman Jolene Henderson stepped up to the plate and sent her second homer of the year to put Cal up, 3-0 with no outs in the fourth.
Fullerton switched pitchers - Aly Fascetti for starter Katey Laban - and it was a successful move for one batter with Shannon Houston lining out to second. Fascetti then beaned Jamia Reid, who stole second, and then walked Shannon Thomas on four pitches. The walk signaled another Titan pitching change - this time it was Krystal Heinle for Fascetti.
The Bears put on a double steal with Reid advancing to third and Thomas taking second. Junior pitcher Valerie Arioto loaded the bases with an eight-pitch walk before Heinle got Lindsey Ziegenhirt out looking. Williams battled for a walk, scoring Reid and further allowing the Bears to juice the bases.
With a 4-0 lead and three runners on, Frani Echavarria singled to center field to score Arioto and Thomas, distancing the Bears, 6-0. The two Cal runners on - Williams at second and Echavarria at first - Kelly earned a walk to load the bases with Bears. Henderson came up to bat and handily knocked in her third and fourth RBI of the day with a single to right field. Shannon Thomas flied out to left field with a powerful shot to end the Cal scoring barrage.
The Bear defense finished off the Titans in four batters in the top of the fifth to come away with the mercy win.
Arioto pitched the complete five innings, allowing just two hits and facing two batters over the minimum. Henderson paced the Bears with four RBI off a team-high two hits.
Cal is back at home Sunday for a doubleheader against UC Davis beginning at 1 p.m. at Levine-Fricke Field.
