STANFORD, Calif. – Elon Butler went 3-for-3 with a two-run homer to lead the California softball team to a series-tying 3-2 victory over No. 8 Stanford in game two of the Big Series on Saturday at Boyd & Jill Smith Family Stadium.

Anna Reimers threw a complete-game, allowing two runs while scattering six hits as the Golden Bears (30-13-1, 7-9-1 Pac-12) picked up their fourth win of the season over a ranked team and reached the 30-win mark for the first time since the 2018 campaign. Cal handed the Cardinal (33-10, 9-8 Pac-12) their first home loss of the year.   

The Bears got their offense going much earlier than in the series opener on Friday night when they were hitless through five, getting on the scoreboard first in the second frame with some perfect execution.

Butler started the inning with a triple off the wall in right and scored when D'Asha Saiki came through with an RBI groundout to the left side, giving Cal its first lead of the series. The San Jose, California native kept her big day going in the fourth by crushing the two-run shot to left, her eighth long ball of the year to plate Makena Smith after she singled as Cal led 3-0.

Reimers had it going through five, allowing just two hits while stranding four Cardinal runners on the bases. Stanford finally got on the board in the sixth with a solo home run to center and Reimers stayed in the circle for the seventh, looking to close it down.

After a flyout started the frame, a single and RBI double made it 3-2 but she got a popout and flyout to end the game and improve to 9-2 on the year.   

UP NEXT
Cal and No. 8 Stanford meet for game two of the Big Series on Saturday with a 2 p.m. first pitch on Pac-12 Los Angeles.        

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