BERKELEY – Haylei Archer threw a two-hit complete game and Elon Butler came through with a go-ahead two-run single in the fifth inning as California defeated Arizona State, 4-3, in the first game of the series on Friday afternoon at Levine-Fricke Field.    

The Bears (21-7-1, 3-3-1 Pac-12) got a two-run Makena Smith blast in the first inning and a 2-for-4 day from Tatum Anzaldo. The Sun Devils (17-9, 1-3 Pac-12) were led by a Yanni Acuna solo home run. 

With a battle between two teams with strong offenses, it was just that in the first frame. ASU struck first with the Acuna bomb to open the game, but Cal answered in the home half with Smith's 10^th long ball of the year to score Anzaldo after she led off the inning with a single.

The Sun Devils took advantage of three Cal errors mixed in with a base hit to plate two runs and retake the lead, 3-2, heading to the fifth inning. Cal put the first two batters on in the fifth when Smith walked and Anders got hit by a pitch, forcing the Sun Devils to make a change in the circle, bringing in Kenzie Brown to replace starter Mac Osborne.

After a pair of strikeouts, Butler came through in the clutch with a two-out, two-run single to put the Bears in front for good. Archer allowed the first batter to reach in the sixth, but a 4-6-3 double play got her out of the jam and she allowed just a walk in the last frame to earn her seventh win of the season with five strikeouts and just one earned run.           

UP NEXT
Cal and Arizona State meet for game two of the series on Saturday afternoon with a 2 p.m. first pitch scheduled from Levine-Fricke Field.       

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