March 15, 2007
vs NC State Box Score
vs No. 6 Oklahoma Box Score
Fullerton, Calif. - The Pacific softball team split their opening days action at the Judi Garman Classic on Thursday, March 15, as they defeated North Carolina State 8-6 before falling to No. 6 Oklahoma, 10-3. The Tigers moved their record to 15-8 on the season.
The Tigers started out their final big tournament of the season in impressive fashion with an eight run, 10 hit win over the Wolfpack. Pacific started off fast, putting up two runs in the first inning. Senior Gina Carbonatto (Lake Steven, Wash.) got the Tigers going with a leadoff infield single. After being moved to second on the sacrifice, Carbonatto came around to score on an RBI single up the middle by senior Jennifer Curtier (Lancaster, Calfi.). Sophomore Briana Santos (Garden Grove, Calif.) plated the second run of the inning for Pacific with a single into centerfield.
In the top of the second inning the Tigers added a third run after sophomore Casey Goldsand (Scottsdale, Ariz.) drove in freshman Karie Wilson (Glendale, Ariz.) who had led off the inning with a double into right centerfield.
Pacific continued to build its lead with three runs in the top of the fourth inning and another single run in the fifth. In the fourth, Goldsand picked up her second RBI of the game while Carbonatto continued to take advantage of the Tigers' strong hitting at the bottom of the order to drive in two runs of her own in the inning. Sophomore Lauren Weyman (Carlsbad, Calif.) knocked out her first hit of the game in the fifth inning, a double that plated Pacific's seventh run of the game.
NC State finally got on the board in the bottom half of the fifth with a three spot of its own, taking advantage of the Tigers' recent home run woes with a three-run home run off the bat of Shanna Smith.
In the sixth inning the Tigers would add another insurance run as Santos picked up her second RBI of the day with a sacrifice fly into center field to plate Carbonatto.
Pacific would need all of its offensive production in the game to keep the Wolfpack down as NC State posted another three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to close the final deficit to two runs. Again, the Wolfpack's runs came off of a three-run home run, this time from Allison Presnell.
In the circle, junior Alyce Jorgensen (Los Altos, Calif.) picked up her fifth win of the season to move to 5-1 on the season. Jorgensen went 6.1 innings giving up six hits, six runs while striking out five.
In the second game of the day the Tigers struggled to contain the No. 6 team in the nation as the Sooners were able to post 10 runs on nine hits.
After giving up single runs in both the first and the second inning, the Tigers broke through to take the lead in the game with a three-run home run of their own in the top of the third inning. After Goldsand and freshman Brittany Hendrickson reached base safely to start the inning, senior Lizzie Hagen (Anaheim, Calif.) crushed her fourth home run of the season to clear the bases and pick up a quick three RBI.
However, the Tigers were unable to hold on to their brief lead as Oklahoma broke the game open in the bottom half of the third with a five run inning, taking advantage of five six free passes in the inning. For insurance purposes the Sooners added two more runs in the fifth inning and one in the sixth to secure their 29th win of the season.
Sophomore Chelsea Engle (Folsom, Calif.) picked up the loss in the circle for the Tigers as she gave up seven runs on four hits in 2.2 innings pitched.
Pacific will be back in action tomorrow, Friday, March 16 as they take on No. 5 Arizona at 4:00 pm.
