DAVIS, Calif. – The Golden Bears left the cool confines of Berkeley for an hour-long road trip to visit the Aggies of UC Davis and encountered blazing sun and uncomfortably high temperatures. Fortunately, California kept its cool through sticky weather and situations as it escaped an eight-inning contest with a 3-2 win.
 
The Bears did not capitalize on its runners until the top of the eighth, , leaving six on, on the day, when freshman Lauren Espalin, who was 0-for-3 before her final at-bat, knocked in a critical RBI single to bring in Lindsay Rood, with two outs, for the go-ahead run, as Cal concluded its non-conference road slate.
 
The Bears gave up two runs in the bottom of the second to allow the Aggies to jump ahead 2-1, but tied things up on a sac fly from Lindsay Rood with bases loaded to bring in Krysten McCue, who pinch ran for Taurie Pogue in the fifth inning.  
 
Cal (30-13, 4-10 Pac-12) snagged an early run on a ground out from Kobie Pettis that brought in Jackson to move ahead 1-0 in the opening frame.
 
Zoe Conley picked up the win in 4.2 innings in the circle, after relieving Kamalani Dung in the bottom of the fourth with the Bears behind a run. The Berkeley native delivered three strikeouts and two walks, without giving up a hit.
 
"I thought Zoe did a great job to shut down their offense after coming in to relieve," said head coach Diane Ninemire. "Our defense did a great job and got us the win."
 
The Bears return to conference play this weekend with a Friday-Sunday series at Stanford that opens at 6:45 p.m. (PT). The games will be broadcasted on the Pac-12 Network.
 
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