June 4, 2011

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OKLAHOMA CITY - No. 7-seed California fell to No. 4-seeded Florida, 5-2, in an elimination game in the Women's College World Series on Saturday evening, bringing the Golden Bears' epic 2011 season to a close. California concludes its season with a 45-13 record and made its 11th all-time appearance in the WCWS and the first since 2005.

Florida will face Alabama on Sunday and will have to beat the Tide twice to advance to the Championships. California dropped Oklahoma State, 6-2, on Saturday morning to send the Cowgirls packing as the first team to leave the Tournament.

Continuing the hot bats from earlier in the day, the Bears struck first with two runs on three hits and one Florida error in the top of the first. The Gators scored thrice in the third and tacked on one in the fourth and fifth.

Hannah Rogers started and earned the win, lasting four innings with one earned run on six hits with one walk and one strikeout. Stephanie Brombacher pitched the final three innings.

Jolene Henderson took the loss after defeating OK State in the morning session. Henderson - the Pac-10 Pitcher of the Year - finishes her splendid sophomore season at 40-10. The Elk Grove, Calif., native allowed five earned runs on 10 hits with five strikeouts.

This is the third time in the past four years that Florida has ended the California postseason with the Gators winning the Gainesville Super Regional in 2008 and 2009. Cal is now 2-5 all-time in the NCAA Tournament against Florida. The Bears beat the Gators twice in 2000 at the Fresno Regional.

Starting off the Cal offensive in the top of the first was Britt Vonk, who reached on an error when shortstop Cheyenne Coyle bobbled a grounder. The Gators paid dearly for that when Jace Williams doubled to right center to plate Vonk. Lindsey Ziegenhirt singled to center, scoring an exuberant Jace Williams from second. A walk from Ashley Decker - who had tripled to score three earlier in the day - and a single from Frani Echavarria juiced the bases but a strikeout from Hannah Rogers and a ground out left them all stranded.

Henderson issued two strikeouts to start the bottom of the first but then the Gators loaded the bases with a walk followed by a single followed by a walk. A grounder to Britt Vonk got Megan Bush at third to safely end the inning.

Bruder had a two-out single to short and Schutte put it into center to give the Gators runners at the corners with two outs for Megan Bush, who walked. Coyle singled to short, plating Bruder, and the throw went awry to allow Schutte to score. Still working with two outs, Paculba singled to center to score Bush.

With one out in the bottom of the fourth, Moultrie singled past first and stole her 30th base of the year during DeFelice's at-bat. DeFelice singled to short to plate Moultrie.

Paculba hit the ball to the wall in center field, missing a homer by a few feet, to start the offense with one out in the bottom of the fifth. Paculba stole second and came home when Moultrie singled to short.