California
Santa Clara
4/18/2012 12:00 PM | Softball
April 18, 2012
Score: No. 1 Cal 10, Santa Clara 2 (Five Innings)
Site: Levine-Fricke Field (Berkeley, Calif.)
Records: Cal 40-2; Santa Clara 8-37
Cal Leaders: Valerie Arioto (2 R, 2 H, 2 RBI/5.0 IP, 2 ER, 13 SO); Danielle Henderson (1 HR, 3 RBI); Frani Echavarria (1 H, 2 RBI)
Next Cal Game: Friday at Oregon (6 p.m.)
BERKELEY - The No. 1 California softball team tallied four runs in the first and tacked on another five in the second as the Golden Bears downed Santa Clara 10-2 in five innings on Wednesday afternoon.
Valerie Arioto led Cal to victory on both sides of the ball - striking out a season-high 13 batters and driving in two runs off two hits. She had a no-hitter going until the top of the fifth, when the Broncos scored two earned runs off three hits.
Jessica Turner started for Santa Clara, lasting 1.2 innings in which she allowed six earned runs on eight hits and four walks. Carissa Theis threw the final 2.1 innings, giving up one earned run on two hits and one walk.
Cal's regular-season nonconference schedule is now complete, with the Bears owning a 40-2 overall record while the Broncos fall to 8-37. Cal moves to 75-0 in the all-time series with Santa Clara.
Bottom of the First - Santa Clara 0, Cal 4:
With a shot to left, Valerie Arioto drove in Jamia Reid, who had singled and then stolen her way to third. Danielle Henderson's long fly ball hit off the foul post for a fair three-run homer.
Bottom of the Second - Santa Clara 0, Cal 9:
Arioto hit in Reid from third. Breana Kostreba and Danielle Henderson walked - loading the bases for Cheyenne Cordes, who poked the ball through the left side to plate Arioto. Still with the bases juiced, Victoria Jones hit the ball to third, where it was bobbled, allowing Kostreba to cross home. A clean single up by the middle by Frani Echavarria plated Cordes and Henderson.
Bottom of the Third - Santa Clara 0, Cal 10:
Lindsey Ziegenhirt ripped the ball sky high for a solo homer.
Top of the Fifth - Santa Clara 2, Cal 10:
Ashley Haney, Alyssa Jepsen and Jamie Wallis broke open the no-hitter with back-to-back-to-back singles, scoring Kelly Scribner and Haney.
Next Time on the Diamond:
Cal heads north to face No. 14/18 Oregon in Eugene. The series gets underway Friday, April 20 at 6 p.m. It will be a 5 p.m. first pitch for the middle match on Saturday, April 21 and things conclude Sunday, April 22 at noon.
