BERKELEY – California softball got a home run from Makena Smith and led late before falling in a 4-2 defeat to No. 7 Washington in the Pac-12 opener at Levine-Fricke Field on Friday.

Smith hit her team-leading eighth homer of the season in the fourth inning and Kennedy Thomas recorded an RBI single for the Bears (18-9, 0-1 Pac-12) off Washington ace Gabbie Plain.    

Tatum Anzaldo had a 2-for-4 day at the plate while D'Asha Saiki added another hit for the Bears.  

HOW IT HAPPENED
A pitcher's duel for the first three innings, Haylei Archer had three strikeouts through the opening three frames while not allowing a Husky hit until the top of the fourth. The Bears jumped on top in the bottom half of the inning when Smith crushed a leadoff home run to left center, making it 1-0.

Cal added another run with a two-out rally. Saiki singled to left and advanced to third when Candace Yingling reached on a Washington error. Thomas came through with the RBI knock to left, plating Saiki and making it 2-0, Bears.

Washington (20-5, 1-0 Pac-12) was able to get one back on four hits in the fifth to make it a 2-1 Bear advantage through five. Cal wasn't able to get anything across in the last two innings and UW used a 2-run homer and RBI single in the sixth to take the 4-2 victory.

UP NEXT
Cal and Washington meet for game two of the series on Saturday with first pitch scheduled for 2:30 pm on the Pac-12 Networks.   

STAY POSTED
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