CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. - Facing its first ranked opponent of 2020, the California softball team clawed its way back from a six-run deficit against No. 18 Missouri, but fell to the Tigers, 11-7, Saturday in game one of the doubleheader at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic. 

Fighting their way back all game, Mikayla Coelho finally squared things up when she blasted a three-run home run in the sixth inning to tie the game at seven. Unfortunately for the Bears, the Tigers matched that with a three-run homer of their own in the top of the seventh to regain the three-run lead. 

The Golden Bears fell to 8-5 on the year. 

Missouri took control of the game early, scoring six times in the first two frames. The Bears put together a quality scoring chance in the bottom of the third, thanks in part to two hit batters. With the bases loaded and two out, Makena Smith stepped up to the plate and ripped a two-out single to cut the Missouri lead down to 6-2. With the single, Smith's hitting streak moved up to eight games. 

Smith wasn't done at the plate. She roped a one-out double in the fifth to start a two-run rally. Candace Yingling crushed an RBI double before Cameron Kondo came in to pinch hit and slapped a RBI single of her own to cut the Missouri lead down to 7-4. 

Smith notched her third hit of the game in the sixth inning. It was her fourth career three-hit game and the first time she's done so in 2020. 

The Tigers got on the board early with a four-run first inning capped by a three-run homer. A double and a single later in the inning increased the Missouri lead to 4-0. Missouri went deep for the second time on the day in the second inning. The two-run shot made it 6-0, Tigers. 

In addition to her big roundtripper in the sixth, Coelho doubled in the second to increase her hitting streak to nine games. 

Cal plays Nebraska in game two of Saturday's doubleheader with a start time around 3:00 p.m. The Bears will finish play at the Mary Nutter Classic on Sunday against New Mexico at 11:30 a.m.