TUCSON, Ariz. – Acacia Anders hit a 3-run home run and Kennedy Thomas recorded a game-winning 2-run triple to lead the California softball team to an 8-6 victory over Arizona in game one of the series on Friday night at Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium.

The Golden Bears (32-17-1, 8-13-1 Pac-12) scored all eight of their runs with two outs and got a clutch 2.1 innings in relief from freshman Ashanti McDade on the way to her first collegiate victory in the circle. Cal clinched the No. 6 seed in next week's inaugural Pac-12 Conference Tournament with the victory.  

The Bears took the early lead in the first thanks to a big blast off the bat of Elon Butler, a 2-run shot way into the bleachers in left field. Arizona rallied in the home half, however, getting on the board with an RBI double and tying the game on a Cal fielding error.  

The bats went quiet for the Bears until the fifth when an offensive onslaught began. Anders homered to turn a 4-2 deficit into a 5-4 lead, sparking the Cal rally. After Arizona tied the game with a solo shot in the bottom of the fifth, Thomas came up big with the triple deep to dead center putting the Bears in front for good.

McDade came on with two Wildcat runners on base in the fifth and got out of the frame, going on to give up just one run on two hits. With the potential game-winning run at the plate for Arizona in the seventh and just one down, McDade got a game-ending double play on a grounder to Makena Smith at third who stepped on the bag and threw a laser to first.  

UP NEXT
Cal and Arizona meet for game two of the series on Saturday with first pitch scheduled for 6 p.m.          

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