May 7, 2010
Final Stats
LOS ANGELES - The No. 15/13 California softball team scored once in the fourth and again in the sixth to tie No. 6/5 UCLA, 2-2, but the Bruins brought around two runs in the bottom of the sixth to take the weekend-opener, 4-2, on Friday evening at Easton Stadium. With the loss, the Golden Bears fall to 37-16 overall and 6-10 in the competitive Pac-10 Conference while the Bruins, who had three homers, rise to 37-9 and 11-5 in the Pac-10.
Valerie Arioto took the loss, giving up four earned runs on 10 hits and two walks while striking out two Bruins. The Bears racked up four hits on each of UCLA's two pitchers - Donna Kerr and Megan Langenfeld, who got the win.
Freshman catcher Lindsey Ziegenhirt and senior second baseman Shannon Thomas paced the Bears with two hits apiece with sophomore third baseman Jace Williams and senior shortstop Taylor Kelly each adding an RBI.
With neither team on the board yet, in the bottom of the second, Dani Yudin took the payoff pitch for a homer to right center to put her Bruins ahead, 1-0, with no outs. Cal registered two outs thanks to a fly out from Burney and a ground out by Samantha Camuso, which brought up catcher Kaila Shull. With a 2-1 count, Shull also homered to right field, giving UCLA a 2-0 lead at the end of the second after B.B. Bates grounded out to second.
Cal opened the fourth with a single through the left side by Valerie Arioto and a single to left center from Lindsey Ziegenhirt. Jace Williams walked to load the bases with Bears with no outs. Frani Echavarria grounded into a fielder's choice with the Bruins getting Arioto out at home.
With the bases still juiced with Bears, Taylor Kelly reached on a fielder's choice to left field, socirng Ziegenhirt for the RBI. However, on that same play, Williams was tagged out at third. A fly out to center from Jolene Henderson ended the offense in the fourth with the Bears within one at 2-1.
The Bruins threatened in the fourth when third baseman Julie Burney reached on an error by Taylor Kelly and Shull singled to third, but UCLA would leave two stranded with no one scoring in that inning.
Ziegenhirt opened the sixth after wading through seven pitches, five of which were fouls, for a double down the left-field line. Senior Shannon Houston came into pinch run for the freshman catcher. It was then that Williams, who also had a 2-2 count, doubled to left center, scoring Ziegenhirt and knotting the game at two all. UCLA turned on the defense and got Echavarria to ground out, Taylor Kelly to strike out looking and Henderson to ground out to get the three consecutive outs.
In front of 751 fans, the Bruins knew they had to create some runs in the bottom of the sixth with the two UC squadrons tied, 2-2. Shull grounded out to second but then Bates singled to left to put a runner on. Second baseman Gionna DiSalvatore homered to center, giving UCLA the final lead 4-2.
Not to be outdone, Shannon Thomas doubled to left center in the top of the seventh and Arioto walked but they would both be left stranded.
The Bears and Bruins meet again on Saturday with a 6 p.m. first pitch at Easton Stadium.
