March 6, 2010
Final Stats
LAS VEGAS - The No. 15/13 California softball team cruised to a 7-0 win over Portland State on Saturday morning. The Golden Bears now stand at 14-4 overall and 3-0 at this weekend's Eller Media Stadium Classic.
Defensively speaking, the first inning was a good indicator of how the rest of the game would go for the Bears. Junior pitcher Valerie Arioto struck out the first two batters and got the last to ground out to send the line-up down in order.
That bottom of the first was a great push of momentum for the Bears as they headed into the top of the second for their second round of at bats. Frani Echavarria singled though the right side and shortly thereafter came home to score off a Taylor Kelly double down the left-field line.
With Kelly stationed at second, freshman Jolene Henderson stepped up and poked a hit through the right side for a single and to plate Kelly. With their 2-0 lead, the Bears headed into the bottom of the second, which saw the Vikings get their first hit of the game, but it was not enough to bring anyone home.
The bottom of the third was another banner half-inning for the Bears with two ground outs and a strike out. But it was not until the top of the fifth until things got cooking for Cal again.
Arioto started things off with a walk and moved to second when freshman Lindsey Ziegenhirt grounded out to second. Sophomore infielder Jace Williams singled to left, moving Arioto to third, and then advanced to second herself on the throw.
A key hit by Echavarria to right field plated both Arioto and Williams, and Echavarria advanced to second on a fielding error. The damage was not over yet for Henderson had a double to right center to score Echavarria for Cal's third and final run of the fifth.
In the top of the sixth, Jamia Reid started things off with a single to first and put on her stealing wheels to take second. Arioto walked and Reid stole third to put runners at the corners with one away. Ziegenhirt put the game away fro good with a double to right field to score Reid and Arioto for Cal's sixth and seventh runs of the game.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Vikings had one hit but one strike out and two ground outs ended the inning for them. It was a similar story in Portland State's last series of at bats. Arioto got a strike out and a ground out before giving up a walk but then got the final batter to ground out to second to end the game in a 7-0 win for Cal.
Next up, they'll take on Southern Utah on Saturday afternoon.
