CATHEDRAL CITY – California opened play at the 2026 Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic in dominant fashion, defeating UC San Diego 14-1 in five innings on Wednesday morning at Big League Dreams Park.
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The Bears (5-6) exploded for 14 runs on 12 hits, scoring in three of the five innings and putting the game out of reach with a five-run fifth to secure the run-rule victory.
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Cal wasted no time establishing control. After Kayli Counts drew a leadoff walk in the first, Anaya Togia laced an RBI double to right-center. Carly Raven followed by launching a two-run homer to right-center, staking the Bears to a 3-0 advantage.
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UC San Diego capitalized on a Cal error in the second to cut the deficit to 3-1, but the Bears immediately responded with their most decisive frame of the afternoon.
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Cal broke the game open in the top of the third, plating six runs on four hits. Togia sparked the rally with a single, and a double steal by Togia and Raven put both runners in scoring position. Anya German then delivered the knockout blow, a three-run homer to left-center. Maddie Rey added an RBI single, and Counts capped the inning with a two-run double to left, extending the lead to 9-1.
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After a scoreless fourth, the Bears put the run rule firmly in play in the fifth. D'Auna Johnson opened the inning with a single before Kyndal Todd crushed a two-run homer to left-center, stretching the lead to 11-1.Rey and Counts each delivered doubles during the frame, and Togia drove in two more runs with a single to right. German added an RBI single to complete the five-run outburst and push the margin to 14-1.
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Layna Gerhard (1-1) earned her first win of the season, tossing three innings of one-hit relief while striking out two . Mya McGowan started and allowed one run over two innings as the Bears limited the Tritons to just two hits on the day.
Cal will return to action Thursday for a doubleheader at the Mary Nutter Classic, facing Fresno State before closing the day against Nevada.
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