Feb. 12, 2011
Final Stats
TEMPE, Ariz. - Once again, the California softball team struck early - this time scoring four runs in the first and three in the second - to earn another mercy win - an 8-0 victory over Cal State Northridge in fiving innings on Saturday afternoon. The Golden Bears (2-0) got homers from Jamia Reid, Lindsey Ziegenhirt and Jace Williams to topple the Matadors (2-2) in Cal's second game of the season.
As it was in the first game of the season, sophomore Jolene Henderson pitched the first four innings to earn her second win of the young season, giving up four hits. Freshman Arinna Erceg made her second Cal appearance as well, tossing one perfect inning.
Cal outhit CSUN, 7-4, and tallied seven earned runs off of Matador starter Carly Wade and one from reliever Hannah Fraijo.
The Matadors threatened in the top of the first with Carlson getting a base hit to right and then stealing second. Henderson got Allen looking to end the inning. Junior left fielder Jamia Reid led off in the bottom of the first and hit the ball to straight away center for her first homer of the season.
With a swinging bunt, freshman shortstop Britt Vonk beat the throw to first to put a runner on with no outs and Cal leading, 1-0. Junior center fielder Frani Echavarria hit a ball off her foot to second and was thrown out while Vonk moved to second. Jace Williams walked, giving Cal runners at first at second for Lindsey Ziegenhirt. Ziegenhirt sent the second ball of the game over the fence with a three-run shot, giving the Bears a 4-0 lead with just one away in the first. The Matadors put the kibash on scoring, getting Victoria Jones to line out to center and Henderson to do the same, only to right, to end the inning.
Beginning the bottom of the second in the ninth spot, junior right fielder Elia Reid walked and then stole second. Elia Reid advanced to third when her sister grounded out to the pitcher. Vonk earned a walk and stole second, removing the force, during Frani Echavarria's at bat. Echavarria earned the third walk of the inning to juice the bases with one away and Williams up to bat, who had walked in her first at bat.
At that point, the Matadors saw fit to make a pitching change with Fraijo coming in to throw. Williams singled up the middle, plating Elia Reid and Vonk. Williams successfully stole second with the throw from behind the plate giving Echavarria ample time to score, putting the Bears up by seven. Echavarria was the last Cal student-athlete to cross the plate in the second.
The Bears added on that essential extra run in the bottom of the fourth to get the mercy win. Jace Williams notched a solo shot to lead off the inning and help close the game in an incredibly timely fashion.
Cal hopes to continue its winning ways with a 4 p.m. tilt against Texas Tech.
