May 11, 2012
Final Stats | Facebook Photo Album | Postgame Video Interview With E. Reid | Postgame Video Interview With Arioto | Postgame Video With D. Henderson | Get Your Pac-12 Championship T-Shirt! | Cal Bear Blog Story on Fannie Wallace - a Two-Time Cancer Survivor Cal Bear Blog Recap With Videos and Photos
Score: No. 1 Cal 5, No. 2 ASU 0
Site: Levine-Fricke Field - Berkeley, Calif.
Records: Cal 50-3, 21-2 Pac-12; ASU 45-7, 17-14 Pac-12
Top Cal Performers: Danielle Henderson (2 H, 3 RBI); Elia Reid (1 H, 2 RBI); Valerie Arioto (7.0 IP 0 ER, 6 H, 11 SO)
Next Game: Saturday vs. Arizona State (Noon)
BERKELEY - The No. 1 California softball team won the inaugural Pac-12 Championship by beating No. 2 Arizona State 5-0 on Friday afternoon.
This is the second outright Pac-12 (or Pac-10) title won by Cal softball and the first since 1987. The Bears tied for first in the conference in 2005. Cal receives the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Coming into the final conference series of the 2012 season against Sun Devils, the Pac-12 title was up for grabs for the first team to win two.
The shutout win was the 24th of the season and the eighth of the Pac-12 slate. Cal has now each of its Pac-12 series. The Bears improve to 50-3 overall and 21-2 in the Pac-12. The Sun Devils stand at 45-7 and 14-7 in the Pac-12.
Danielle Henderson drove in the first two runs and then the fifth with Elia Reid accounted for the third and fourth runs when she singled to left.
Senior player of the year award candidate Valerie Arioto pitched the complete-game victory, shutting out the Sun Devils as she struck out 11 of them.
Hillary Bach started but was yanked after 4.1 innings in which she gave up all five earned runs on five hits and two walks. Mackenzie Popescue pitched 1.2 innings, allowing one hit and two walks.
Bottom of the Second - Cal 1, ASU 0:
Breana Kostreba - in at designated player - ripped a single to left, moved to second on a picture-perfect sacrifice bunt by Cheyenne Cordes. Danielle Henderson smashed the ball to left center, inches shy of a homer, for an RBI single.
Bottom of the Fourth - Cal 2, ASU 0:
Kostreba singled to left and was replaced at first by Elia Reid as a pinch runner. Reid stole second and scored when Danielle Henderson ripped another shot to the outfield.
Bottom of the Fifth - Cal 5, ASU 0:
Elia Reid nailed a shot to the wall in left field, driving in two runs. With the bases loaded, Danielle Henderson flied out to left, plating Jace Williams from third.
Next Time on the Diamond:
The Bears bid adieu to their senior class of Valerie Arioto, Frani Echavarria, Elia Reid, Jamia Reid and Jace Williams on Saturday, May 12 at noon.
Help Val Hit Her Community Service Goal:
All season, Valerie Arioto and her Golden Bears have been collecting unopened toiletries such as shampoo, conditioner and body wash to donate to a local women's shelter. At each of the remaining home games, bring unopened toiletries to add to the Golden Bears' collection to help! Also, vote for Val for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award.
