The California softball team returns to the road for the second week of play and five games in three days at the Littlewood Classic hosted by Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona.
 
The Golden Bears face Cal State Fullerton at 12:15 p.m. PT on Friday at GCU Softball Stadium before facing the host Lopes at 5:30 p.m. PT. Saturday action starts with a clash against No. 21 Virginia Tech at 9:30 a.m. PT and a 12:15 p.m. PT first pitch vs. Illinois State. The tournament concludes with an 8 a.m. PT matchup with Memphis on Sunday.
 
WEEKEND LINEUP

• Teams: Cal (5-1) vs. Cal St. Fullerton (4-0), Grand Canyon (4-1), No. 21 Virginia Tech (4-0-1), Illinois State (0-5) and Memphis (0-4)
• Location: GCU Softball Stadium, Phoenix, Arizona
• First pitch: Friday: 12:15 p.m. PT • 5:30 p.m. PT | Saturday: 9:30 a.m. PT • 12:15 p.m. PT | Sunday: 8 a.m. PT  

 HOW TO FOLLOW

• Cal State Fullerton: Live Stats | Live Stream: N/A
• Grand Canyon: Live Stats | ESPN+
• Virginia Tech: Live Stats | Live Stream: N/A
• Illinois State: Live Stats | Live Stream: N/A
• Memphis: Live Stats | Live Stream: N/A

QUICK HITS

• Acacia Anders started the season with a bang last week in Louisiana, hitting .500 (9-for-18) with three doubles, a home run and eight RBI. Her three doubles are first in the Pac-12, while she sits second in the conference with eight RBI and third with nine hits.
• Mika Lee entered opening weekend with zero career home runs and she changed that in a hurry in Louisiana. Lee, a junior, hit a solo shot in the season-opener at McNeese on Thursday before smashing a grand slam on Friday vs. Chattanooga. She currently sits third in the Pac-12 with seven RBI.
• Cal's pitching staff was balanced over the opening weekend of play with five different players earning their first victory of the season. Anna Reimers has a 1.62 ERA in 8.2 IP while freshman Randi Roelling struck out 11 batters in 13 IP in Louisiana.
• Freshmen also spurred Cal's lineup during the first week of the season with Lagi Quiroga and Kyndal Todd each seeing significant time. Quiroga homered twice and has taken over starting catcher duties. Todd had four hits in eight at-bats with a start on Sunday.
• After missing the 2023 season with an injury, Kaylee Pond immediately made her presence known in her Cal debut last weekend. The Lafayette, Calif., native hit .429 (6-for-14) with two doubles, four runs and three RBI.
• Two-time First-Team All-Pac-12 selection Tatum Anzaldo is back to lead the team, taking over third base duties that were previously manned by Cal's first two-time NFCA All-American since 2013, Makena Smith.
• Anzaldo led the squad with a .383 average in 2023 as the leadoff hitter. She was second on the team with 59 hits and third in both slugging percentage (.578) and total bases (89).
• Cal returns three pitchers to the squad who all tied for the 2023 team lead with 10 wins in senior Haylei Archer and juniors Reimers and Annabel Teperson.
• The Bears welcome new members to the coaching staff this season in Brandon Telesco (hitting/recruiting coordinator) and Danielle O'Toole-Trejo (pitching), while Kailee Cuico (defensive coordinator) was elevated to a full-time assistant coach heading into her fourth year with the program. Marisa Stankiewicz also joined the Bears as director of player development. 

 
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