May 4, 1997
No. 23 California Splits Pair with No. 6 Washington
BERKELEY, Calif. -- Pitcher Holly Yost singled home Kirsten Drake with the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning to lead No. 23 California to a 6-5 win over sixth-ranked Washington in the second game of a doubleheader Sunday on Strawberry Field.
In the opener, Washington (43-13, 14-7) defeated Cal (31-23, 10-13), 5-3.
In that first game, the Huskies took a 1-0 lead in the second inning as center fielder Leanne Rosser singled, stole both second and third base, and came home on a throwing error by Cal catcher Megumi Takasaki. The Bears, though, tied the score in the third inning. Left fielder Karen Bonini singled and, after reaching third base on two more Cal base hits, scored on a wild pitch by Washington's Jennifer Spediacci.
The Huskies re-took the lead with four runs in the sixth inning on a solo home run by Sara Pickering and a three-run shot by Eve Gaw. Cal rallied with two runs in the seventh inning a two RBI single by Drake. However, the Bears could get no closer.
In the second game, Washington jumped on top in the first inning on a three-run homer by Rosser. Cal responded with a run in the bottom of the first on a single by Takasaki and a double by starting pitcher Melanie McCart.
The Bears tied the score in the third inning on a two-run double by Yost, and claimed the lead at 5-3 in the fourth inning on a two-run home run by Takasaki. Washington's Rosser hit her second homer of the game, a two-run blast, to tie the game at 5-5 in the fifth inning.
In the top of the seventh, Yost relieved McCart with a runner on first and one out. She then coaxed a pair of ground outs to end the Huskies' threat.
In Cal's half of the inning, Drake led off with a single. Jenny Ackley then attempted a sacrifice bunt and was safe when reliever Jamie Graves' throw got away from first baseman Becky Newbry, putting runners at first and third. Graves then intentionally walked McCart to load the bases, and Yost lined the first pitch she saw into right field, scoring Drake.
Pacific-10 Conference Softball Result
Strawberry Field, Berkeley, CA
Game 1
Washington 010 004 0 -- 5 10 0
California 001 000 2 -- 3 10 1
Spediacci, Graves (7) and Nyblod. Yost and Takasaki. HR --
Pickering (W), Gaw (W). W -- Spediacci 13-4. L -- Yost
23-18. S -- Graves 1.
Game 2
Washington 300 020 0 -- 5 10 2
California 102 200 1 -- 6 11 1
Gaw, Graves (4) and Nyblod. McCart, Yost (7) and Takasaki.
HR -- Rosser 2 (W), Takasaki (C). W -- Yost 24-18. L --
Graves 17-4.
