BERKELEY – The California softball team hit five home runs and got a two-hit shutout from
Haylei Archer on the way to an 8-0, run-rule, victory over Villanova in the home opener on Sunday at Levine-Fricke Field
The Bears (16-4) got a 3-for-3 day with two home runs from
Makena Smith and
Sona Halajian went 2-for-2 to lead the offense, while Archer allowed just two hits in five innings to earn her sixth win of the season.
Playing in their home park for the first time this season, the Bears looked right at home in the bottom of the first. After a quick pair of outs, the bats broke out in a big way. Three straight home runs off the bats of
Elon Butler, Halajian and Smith led the way to a four-run first frame off of Villanova starter Peyton Schnackenberg.
The Wildcats brought in reliever Caroline Pellicano to start the second, but the Bears kept chipping away.
Tatum Anzaldo laced an RBI single and pinch-runner
Amanda Kondo stole home when Smith got in a rundown between first and second to make it 6-0 after three innings.
The Bears put the game away in the fifth on Smith's second home run of the day, a no-doubter to left field, and freshman
D'Auna Johnson ended it with a pinch-hit, walk-off bomb to dead center for her first-career home run and the five-inning victory.
UP NEXT
Cal plays its first midweek game of the season on Tuesday with a 3 p.m. first pitch at UC Davis.
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