BERKELEY – California ended its long-standing run at Levine-Fricke Field since 1995  in a rubber match with historical powerhouse and fifth-ranked Arizona on Sunday afternoon.
 
A day ago the Golden Bears (26-25, 4-17 Pac-12) added its third upset of the season and a new note for the books with a 1-0 shutout of the Wildcats (40-8, 17-1 Pac-12) to clip their 21-game win streak. It marked the first shutout Cal's had against UA since 2012 and the first scoreless loss for the Wildcats this season.
 
That gave the Bears a lot to look forward to in Sunday's home finale, as they hoped to grasp their first series over the Wildcats since 2013 and tiptoe into postseason conversation again.
 
And the Bears got off to a big start taking a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first as Karlee Sparacino brought Lindsay Rood home from third on an RBI single. Rood, who leads the Pac-12 with 73 hits, pelted her 72nd on a deep double to get aboard. Lauren Espalin advanced the senior short stop to the hot corner on her lone hit of the day.
 
Zoe Conley kept the UA batters off balance early, finishing with four strikeouts in 5.1 innings pitched. The senior co-ace kept the Wildcats off the board for four innings, before things folded.
 
In the top of the fifth, UA's Rylee Pierce found her stroke for a two-run homer to take a 2-1 lead. The Wildcats would command things the rest of the way through and tacked on a pair of insurance runs for a 4-1 final margin.
 
Conley (8-16) picked up the loss and was relieved in the top of the sixth by fellow senior Kamalani Dung, who pitched a gem on Saturday and became the first Cal pitcher to take down Arizona since 2016 and the first to do it in shutout fashion since Jolene Henderson did so in 2012.
 
Conley, a Berkeley native, who used to peek over the side of the fences at Levine-Fricke as a kid to watch softball outings, stepped off the field for the final time to loud applause. Little did the 5-foot pitcher know that she'd etch her name in the record books as Cal's first African-American pitcher and the program's single-season saves leader.
 
"I took some dirt and some grass with me to commemorate the place that has shaped me into the young woman I've become," said Conley. "I have to thank this place and Coach Ninemire for taking a chance on a little black girl from Berkeley and making my dream of becoming a Golden Bear come true.
 
"It's really come full circle for me and I'm proud of what we've accomplished as a team and very touched by the legacy I have been able to leave with this program."
 
The Bears finish the season on the road with a midweek game against Santa Clara before heading to Tempe for a Friday-Sunday series against Arizona State that will be broadcast on the Pac-12 Networks.
 
For more information on Cal softball, follow the team on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @CalSB.