April 15, 2007

Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score

Stockton, Calif. - The Pacific softball team remained perfect in Big West conference action with a sweep of UC Riverside on Sunday, April 15. The Tigers took the first game of the doubleheader, 4-3 (8), before shutting out the Highlanders, 5-0, in the final game of the series. With the wins the Tigers improved to 31-13 overall and 6-0 in conference action while the Highlanders fell to 16-25 on the year and 0-6 in the Big West.

In the opening contest of the day, the Tigers were able to jump out front of the Highlanders in the bottom of the third inning with a single unearned run to go up 1-0 in the game. Pacific took advantage of the gale force winds of the day to work three consecutive two-out walks in the inning to force home senior Lizzie Hagen (Anaheim, Calif.) who had reached on a fielder's choice.

The Highlanders responded immediately to the deficit, capturing their one and only lead of the three game series in the top half of the fourth inning. UC Riverside put together a two out rally to plate three runs in the inning as the bottom third of the order posted three consecutive hits, including two straight doubles to put the runs on the board.

Despite the sudden deficit, the Tigers were ready to pounce in the bottom half of the inning as senior Gina Carbonatto (Lake Stevens, Wash.) swung the momentum back to Pacific's dugout with a two-out, two-run home run to right field. Despite the massive winds blowing in from left field, Carbonatto was able to line her shot over the fence for her fourth home run of the season.

With the game tied, neither team was able to muster another run through the remaining three innings, sending the contest into extra innings. Junior Alyce Jorgensen (Los Altos, Calif.) allowed just one base runner throughout the final three innings of regulation to keep the Tigers on the verge of victory. In the eighth, Jorgensen appeared as if she may give up her first hit in four innings when Marissa Alvidrez laced a shot into center field. However, Carbonatto had other ideas as she came up throwing from center, cutting down Alvidrez at first base before she could reach safely. Jorgensen would retire the final out of the inning to send the Tigers to the plate with the game still tied at 3-3.

In the bottom half of the inning, Pacific would put away the Highlanders with a single run off the bat of sophomore Lauren Weyman (Carlsbad, Calif.). Weyman came through for the Tigers in a 3-2, bases loaded situation with a single into left-center field after the Highlanders had intentionally walked senior Jennifer Curtier (Lancaster, Calif.) to load the bases. For the game, Weyman posted three hits in four at bats with her lone RBI coming as the game winner.

In the circle, Jorgensen retired 13 of the final 14 batters she faced to improve to 7-2 on the year. In all, Jorgensen gave up just four hits and three runs with all of the damage coming in the third inning. In addition she gave up three walks while striking out three.

In game two, the Tigers used the momentum of the extra inning win to come out firing in the first inning. After sophomore Chelsea Engle (Folsom, Calif.) put down the Highlanders in order to start the game, the Tigers offense went to work, scoring two runs in the bottom of the first.

With the three seniors in front of her reaching base safely to start the inning, Weyman returned to the plate with another bases loaded situation. Again, Weyman drove home a run for the Tigers, this time posting a sacrifice fly to left field to score Carbonatto. On the throw home, Hagen, who had reached with a single to left, advanced to third to set up another sacrifice fly situation. Jorgensen obliged the situation and produced the sac fly to knock in Hagen.

In the second inning, the Tigers put two more runs on the board in support of Engle to give their starting pitcher a four run cushion. After leadoff hits by sophomore Casey Goldsand (Scottsdale, Ariz.) and junior Vianney Campos (Guadalajara, Mexico) got the Tigers going in the inning, Hagen continued her stellar weekend with a two RBI single to center field to plate both of the Tigers' runs in the inning.

Four runs would be all Engle would need in her second start of the weekend for the Tigers as the sophomore hurler had everything working on the day. Despite swirling winds, Engle had her finest outing to date, giving up just one hit in the contest, a two-out single up the middle in the top of the sixth inning by Jennifer Thompson. With Engle pitching her best, the Tigers' defense stepped up their play with the biggest play of the game coming at the beginning of the sixth inning. With the no-hitter still intact, Cassie Greenawalt lined a shot into right field that on any other day would have resulted in a single. However, just as Carbonatto had done in the early game, Campos came up firing, throwing out Greenawalt at first before she could reach safely.

With her defense's support, and an a fifth run tacked on the board in the sixth inning on a solo home run by Hagen, her sixth of the year, Engle picked up her 17th win of the season to move to 17-9 on the season. In six innings of work, Engle gave up just one hit and four walks while striking out six. Sophomore Heidi Helberg (Brentwood, Calif.) had mop up duties in the seventh, finishing the shutout for Engle on four pitches to retire the side.

In all, Hagen led the way offensively with three hits in four at bats, knocking in two and scoring two runs. On the weekend, Hagen was 7-for-11 with a double, triple and home runs. She scored five runs in total for the series.

The Tigers will be back in action on Cal State Fullerton on the road on Saturday, April 21. The doubleheader is scheduled to begin at 12:00 pm.