April 1, 2007

Box Score

Davis, Calif. - Behind a four run fifth inning the Pacific softball team defeated UC Davis, 5-2, on Sunday, April 1 to capture the third and final game of the series between the two teams. With the win the Tigers won the season series 2-1 and improved their non-conference record to 24-12 on the year while the Aggies fell to 20-13-1.

For the sixth time in just over a week, sophomore Chelsea Engle (Folsom, Calif.) led the Tigers to victory as she threw a complete game to pick up her 13th win of the season. Through seven innings of work, Engle dominated the Aggies' hitters, making only two mistake pitches on the day that led to both of UC Davis' runs.

After retiring the Aggies in order in the first inning, Engle got into a little trouble in the circle in the second inning after hitting the leadoff hitter. Engle would get the next two UC Davis hitters, one due to a sacrifice and the other on her second strike out of the contest. However, with a runner on second, Engle would leave a pitch over the middle of the plate to Ashley Johnson that she was able to drive off the center field wall for an RBI double. Engle would induce a ground out two batters later to get out of the inning.

Pacific's offense, which had been knocking at the door through out the game, finally cracked the scoreboard in the top of the fifth inning with four runs in support of their starting pitcher. Sophomore Casey Goldsand (Scottsdale, Ariz.) led the inning off with a single up the middle followed by back-to-back walks to junior Vianney Campos (Guadalajara, Mexico) and senior Gina Carbonatto (Lake Stevens, Wash.) that loaded the bases with no outs in the inning.

With the bases juiced senior Lizzie Hagen (Anaheim, Calif.) continued her clutch hitting as of late with a bloop single into center field that plated the Tigers' first run of the inning and tied the game up at one run apiece. Following Hagen, senior Jennifer Curtier (Lancaster, Calif.) crushed a shot that was just short of clearing all the bases as she settled for a two RBI double to left-center field. The double was her 50th of her career. With three runs across the Tigers added a fourth in the inning on a sacrifice fly to left field off the bat of sophomore Lauren Weyman (Carlsbad, Calif.).

Now holding a comfortable three run lead, Engle went back to the circle in the bottom half of the fifth inning and struck out the side. She would continue her dominate stretch in the sixth inning, retiring the first two batters she faced to run her streak to eight consecutive batters retired. Even with her pitches working, Engle was still susceptible to making small mistakes as witnessed by the pitch she threw to Deanna Menapace which went sailing over the left-center field wall for a solo home run. The home run was the second of the series for Menapace, both coming off of Engle.

Despite giving back a run the Tigers offense returned the favor in the top of the seventh inning with a single run in the inning to take back a three run lead and give the Tigers their final total of five runs. After reaching base due to an error, Carbonatto would come around to score on a single through the left side of the infield by Weyman to plate the fifth and final run.

In the bottom of the seventh, Engle would face just four batters, inducing a lazy pop up to second base for the third and final out of the inning.

For the contest, senior Lizzie Hagen (Anaheim, Calif.) led the way with two hits in three at bats. Both Curtier and Weyman finished with a game-high two RBI while Carbonatto finished with two runs scored.

In the circle, Engle picked up the win as she gave up just three hits and two runs in seven innings of work. In addition, Engle struck out six, recording four straight strikeouts at one point in the contest.

For the Aggies, Lindsay Tognetti suffered the loss as she gave up five hits and four runs in four innings pitched. Menapace was a perfect 1-of-1 on the day with two runs scored and one RBI.

The Tigers will be back in action on Tuesday, April 3 as they play host to the Fresno State Bulldogs at Bill Simoni Field in a non-conference doubleheader. The games begin at 1:00 pm.