March 28, 2010
Final Stats
DAVIS, Calif. - The No. 14 California softball team concluded its last nonconference regular season weekend in the same manner in which it begun - with a win. The Golden Bears (28-6) defeated host UC Davis (11-20), 4-0, in the final game on the final day of the Aggie Stampede.
The Bears made exceptionally quick work of the Aggies - off the first pitch of the game - with a clean triple to left center by Jamia Reid. Cal did not stop after that with Shannon Thomas earned a walk and then stealing second while Valerie Arioto earned another walk to load the bases.
The triple and two consecutive walks legitimately prompted an Aggie pitching change, which was successful for the next two batters with Lindsey Ziegenhirt and Jace Williams popping up to give UCD two outs in the top of the first. The second fly out was productive for Reid came home to score. Cal added one more hit - a single to left by Frani Echavarria - but that was the final offensive the Bears mustered in the first.
Neither team could register a hit for the next 2.5 innings, until the top of the fourth. Ziegenhirt watched one pitch go by for a strike before connecting on the next for a solo shot to left center. The freshman catcher's homer, her seventh of the season, put Cal up, 2-0.
The Bears extended their lead in the top of the sixth when Jace Williams reached on a fielding error at short. The error was more costly than just a baserunner for the Aggies but inversely fruitful for the Bears. The next batter - Vernae Sevilla - fouled a pitch off before sending the second over the wall in center field for a two-run roundtripper. Sevilla, who has three home runs in 17 starts (21 appearances) for the Bears, upped Cal's advantage to what would be the final 4-0.
The Aggies earned their first hit in the bottom of the seventh. In a last ditch yet semi-successful effort, Davis got the first batters on thanks to two fielder's choices, the second one coming at the cost of the lead baserunner. Holmes then tallied the sole Aggie hit when she singled through the left side. Clean fielding in the infield and a swinging strike out ended the inning without any Aggies crossing home, giving Cal the 4-0 victory.
In all, the Bears had six hits with Jamia Reid racking up a team-high two. Sevilla paced the Bears with two RBI.
Valerie Arioto pitched the one hitter, allowing one walk and striking out six.
The Bears were the only team in this weekend's Aggie Stampede to win all of its games with Cal notching four victories in three days.
Cal opens its competitive Pac-10 Conference season on Thursday at Stanford.
