April 3, 2010
Final Stats
STANFORD, Calif. - The No. 14 California softball team made quick work of No. 11/9 Stanford, scoring two runs in the top of the first, en route to a 6-0 victory on Saturday afternoon at Smith Family Field. The Golden Bears, who improve to 29-8 overall and 1-2 in the Pac-10 Conference, had home runs from Valerie Arioto and Lindsey Ziegenhirt. The win was head coach Diane Ninemire's 999th of her career.
After the Cardinal had won the first two meetings - a 1-0 12-inning result and a 5-1 win Friday night - Cal wasted no time in the final game of the series. In the top of the first, Jamia Reid connected on the first pitch of the game and reached on a throwing error by the shortstop. Reid moved to second thanks to a sacrifice bunt by Shannon Thomas, bringing up Arioto. The junior hurler had did not swing at the first three pitches, which were balls, or the next two, which were strikes, before she fouled off two and then sent the eighth pitch of the at bat flying to a two-run homer to left field.
The home run, Arioto's ninth of the season, gave the Bears a 2-0 lead that would not change for the next inning and a half.
The top of the Cal line-up jump started the offensive effort in the top of the third when Jamia Reid had a lead-off single to left field. Again, Thomas bunted to move Reid to second, but no repeat homer for Arioto, who flied out to center. The home run queen of the inning would be freshman catcher Lindsey Ziegenhirt, who homered to left field, plating herself and Reid to distance Cal, 4-0.
The Bears were not done for they added two more runs to their tally in the top of the fourth. Vernae Sevilla was the first baserunner of the inning when she walked. Taylor Kelly then reached on a fielder's choice, which moved Sevilla to second. With Kelly at first, Sevilla at second with one out, Jamia Reid tripled to left field, scoring Kelly and Sevilla. Kelly was the last runner for either squad to cross the plate, giving Cal its final 6-0 lead.
Reid paced all student-athletes with three hits. Reid, Arioto and Ziegenhirt each earned themselves two RBI.
Pitching the seven-inning shutout, Arioto had four strike outs, seven hits and three walks to improve to 15-5 overall. Teagan Gerhart, who pitched the 12-inning game on Thursday, had the loss after she gave up five earned runs. Jenna Rich came in to pitch in relief and allowed two hits.
Ninemire seeks win No. 1,000 at home on Wednesday in Cal's mid-week match-up against Sacramento State at Levine-Fricke Field. Following the game, the Bears will head north for a three-game conference series at Oregon next weekend.
