April 28, 2010
Final Stats
BERKELEY - Behind a two home run plate performance and three innings of work in the circle from junior Valerie Arioto, the No. 16/13 California softball team routed Santa Clara, 8-0, on Wednesday afternoon in a six-inning affair at Levine-Fricke Field. The Golden Bears (35-13 overall) also got a homer from freshman catcher Lindsey Ziegenhirt and three innings from freshman Jolene Henderson to power past the Broncos (9-26) on a rain-soaked afternoon.
Cal built a 4-0 lead in the first and extended it to 7-0 with two runs in the second and one in the fourth before a rain delay. Arioto homered in the first and the sixth to help lead her Bears to victory, the 73-0 all-time against SCU.
It was three-up, three-down in the top of the first with a 4-3 ground out and two strikeouts.
After two fly outs by Jace Williams and Shannon Thomas opened the bottom of the first, Valerie Arioto unleashed with a homer that went over the top of the portables beyond center field to give Cal an early 1-0 lead. Freshman catcher Lindsey Ziegenhirt earned a walk and sophomore centerfielder Frani Echavarria was hit by a pitch to put two runners on with two away.
Jolene Henderson strode to the plate and sent the ball flying into no man's territory in shallow center field. The hit scored Ziegenhirt and Echavarria, and Henderson advanced to second on the failed throw home.
Henderson moved to third on a wild pitch, which put her in prime scoring position when freshman shortstop Jordan Wallace connected for a single into center, her fourth hit of the 2010 season. Senior right fielder Shannon Houston singled through the left side to advance Wallace to second. The Broncos ended the scoring barrage when Elia Reid grounded into a fielder's choice with Bronco shortstop Emily Batt fielding the ball and tossing it to Kristin Welsh at second to get the advancing Houston out. The four Cal hits had already taken their toll and the Bears led, 4-0, at the close of the first.
Arioto sent the Broncos down in the top of the second with a ground out, fly out and a swinging strikeout.
For the second inning in a row, Arioto sparked a two-out rally for the Bears. With a 2-2 count in the bottom of the second, Arioto took an off-speed pitch for a single up the middle. Ziegenhirt followed up with a first-pitch homer to left field, bringing Cal's lead to 6-0 with her 14th roundtripper of the season. Echavarria tallied the third hit of the Bears' end of the inning with one up the middle.
In the top of the third, with Cal commanding the 6-0 advantage, Jordan Wallace made a great dig at short to get the first out of the inning. Arioto sent the final two batters down with strikeouts.
To begin the bottom of the third, the Broncos switched pitchers with Ali Nash relieving starter Riley McKay, but it was of no avail as lead-off hitter Wallace earned a four-pitch walk. Elia Reid laid down a bunt and her fast feet got her to first before the ball, giving Cal two baserunners with one away. With two outs, freshman Diane Leider, who replaced Thomas at second, caught an unlucky break when Santa Clara left fielder Jackie Nicora made a spectacular diving catch to nap Leider's line drive.
To start the fourth, Henderson and Arioto made the defensive switch with Henderson going to pitch and Arioto moving to second. Arioto was like a wall on the first-base line, grabbing down a line drive from Wallace. Batt smacked the payoff pitch clear to the wall for a stand-up double. Arioto made another key grab on a ground ball from center fielder Nicora, looked Batt back at second and made the unassisted play to give Cal two outs.
Arioto got aboard with a walk, a category in the Pac-10 with 58 coming into the game. Ziegenhirt was again swinging for the fences, but left fielder Nicora made the catch at the wall in foul territory. Echavarria connected for a hit into centerfield and was not slowing doing, earning the double and moving Arioto to third. Henderson then got second baseman Kristin Welsh looking.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Bears scored once when Henderson grounded out to the shortstop, who helped turn the 5-3-6 double play. However, Arioto, who walked, stole second and advanced to third on a Frani Echavarria double, scored on Henderson's grounder.
With the Bears holding a 7-0 lead the fifth, both sides went three up, three down. The drizzle turned into a downpour, and the umpires delayed the game.
In the top of the sixth, right fielder Nicole Picard walked and then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Jamie Wallis singled to second, moving Picard to third with one out. In the midst of Batt's at bat, Wallis attempted a steal of second. Bishop threw down to Wallace, who kept her eye on at Picard at third and threw to Arioto, who applied the tag to Wallis to get the second out of the inning. Henderson got Batt looking to close the inning.
Looking for that elusive eighth run to end the game, the Bears headed into the bottom of the sixth with their 7-0 lead. Williams grounded out and Leider struck out swinging to draw up Arioto with the two outs to which Arioto was so accustomed to in the game. With a 3-1 count, Arioto hit yet another homer, this being her 16th of the season, which also cleared the portables in center field. The four-baser gave Cal the 8th run needed to earn the mercy run and take the 8-0 decision.
For the weekend match-ups, there are three more home Pac-10 games, this time against No. 3 Arizona. The series with the Wildcats is slightly more tumultuous for the Bears for Arizona holds a commanding a 67-21 program lead. The last game between the two schools resulted in a 7-5 Wildcat win on April 19, 2009. Zona also holds a 5-3 record over the Bears in postseason play, though Cal defeated the `Cats in 2002 for the Women's College World Series title.
