April 3, 2007
Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score
Stockton, Calif. - Playing at home against valley rival, No. 25 Fresno State, the Pacific softball team split their doubleheader action with the Bulldogs falling in game one, 9-7 (8) before taking game two, 5-4. With the split the Tigers moved to 25-13 on the year while the Bulldogs moved to 30-13 overall.
The Tigers rallied from seven runs down in the first game of the day against Fresno State only to fall in the extra frame on a two run home run by Jenna Cervantez. In game two, Pacific saw sophomore Heidi Helberg (Brentwood, Calif.) pick up her second collegiate win in as many appearances, throwing 6.2 innings in her first start of her career.
In the first game of the day the Tigers threw sophomore Chelsea Engle (Folsom, Calif.) against the Bulldogs Robin Mackin in the circle. Both pitchers started out strong as only one hit was relinquished by Mackin through three innings while Engle did not allow a runner to reach first through the first nine Fresno State hitters.
However, in the fourth inning and into the second trip through the Bulldogs' lineup, Engle finally relinquished a double off the left-center wall to start the inning. That first hit would open up a stream of hits for the Bulldogs as they were able to knock out six hits in the inning, scoring five runs, while sending up 10 batters to the plate.
In the top of the fifth inning the Bulldogs would strike for two more runs, this time off of relief pitcher sophomore Briana Santos (Garden Grove, Calif.) with both runs coming on a two-run home run off the bat of Nicole Willis to dead center field.
Down seven runs and facing one of the nation's toughest pitchers in Mackin, the Tigers began, as they have done so many times this season, to mount a comeback in the bottom of the fifth inning. Just as the Bulldogs had done in the fourth, Pacific tallied five runs in the fifth to cut the deficit to just two runs.
The Tigers started the inning off with senior Gina Carbonatto (Lake Stevens, Wash.) legging out a bunt that she dropped right in front of home plate. Following the single, both senior Lizzie Hagen (Anaheim, Calif.) and senior Jennifer Curtier (Lancaster, Calif.) would work walks, setting up a bases loaded, no out, situation for the Tigers. The walk to Curtier was her second of the game; she would walk four times in the contest.
With the bases loaded, sophomore Lauren Weyman (Carlsbad, Calif.) came through for the Tigers with a two RBI single up the middle. Following another walk to freshman Karie Wilson (Glendale, Ariz.) and the first two outs of the inning, sophomore Casey Goldsand (Scottsdale, Ariz.) singled to left field to plate two more runs for the Tigers. An infield single by junior Vianney Campos (Gudalajara, Mexico) loaded the bases once again setting up an RBI walk for Carbonatto in her second at bat of the inning.
After holding the Bulldogs in the sixth the Tigers would strike again, this time on a solo home run to left field by Weyman. The home run was the first of the season for the sophomore outfielder and tallied her third RBI of the day.
Down to their final at bat, the Tigers were able to manufacture a single run in the bottom of the seventh inning on a sacrifice fly to center field by Carbonatto that scored junior Lauren Sandelin (Sedro-Woolley, Wash.).
Despite the furious seven run comeback, the win was not to be for Pacific as in the top of the eighth inning, Jenna Cervantez picked up her second hit of the game, a back-breaking two-run shot to right field off of Engle who had comeback into the game in the seventh inning to continue the game she had started.
Mackin finished the Tigers off in the bottom of the eighth inning to pick up the complete game, eight inning win for the Bulldogs. Engle suffered the loss to fall to 13-9 on the year. In all, Engle gave up nine hits and seven runs in 6.1 innings of work while Mackin relinquished seven runs on 10 hits.
In the second game of the day, the Tigers reversed their fortunes with a strong performance in the circle by Helberg. Just as they had done in the early game, the Tigers found themselves down first as the Bulldogs were able to post two runs in the top of the first inning on a two out single up the middle by Lisamarie Coronado.
Pacific did not wait as long as they did in the first game to respond to Fresno State as the Tigers were able to plate a single run in the first inning to cut their deficit to 2-1. Pacific's run in the first inning was a good sign of what would come as the Tigers entered the contest with a 15-2 record on the season when plating a run in the opening frame.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Tigers would capture their first lead of the day with two runs in the inning as the bottom of the order was able to push across both runs for Pacific. After Karie Wilson walked to start the inning, Sandelin came in to run for the Tigers' catcher and then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by freshman Kellee Wilson (Tracy, Calif.). With a runner in scoring position, junior Mandy Hickman (Phoenix, Ariz.) connected on a 2-2 pitch to lace a single through the left side that would plate Sandelin. She would advance to second on the throw home and to third on an infield ground out by Goldsand. Just 60 feet away, Hickman would score the go-ahead run on an infield single by Campos. The RBI was her second of her career.
The lead would be short lived for the Tigers as Fresno State was able to plate a single run in the top of the fifth inning on a solo home run by Hilary Perkins to tie the score at 3-3. However, Pacific would come right back in the bottom half of the inning with another two runs to take a 5-3 lead and never look back. Back-to-back singles by Hagen and Curtier set up the scoring opportunity for the Tigers that Karie Wilson would deliver on as she tallied two RBI with a single into left field.
With a two-run cushion, Helberg would pick up her second win of the season and of the week as she would give up just one more run in the game. Helberg would not pick up the complete game as she came out of the contest with two runners on base and two outs in the top of the seventh inning, giving the ball to Engle to finish the game. Engle would need just one pitch to pick up the Tigers' first save of the season.
For the day, Karie Wilson led the way for the Tigers as she hit .800 (4-for-5) with two RBI. Curtier finished the two games with a .714 average after going 3-for-3 in the second game. Campos led the team with five hits in seven at bats while Weyman posted a team high three RBI in the two games.
The win for the Tigers was their first over the Bulldogs since their 6-1 win over Fresno State in the 2004 NCAA Regionals.
Pacific will begin conference play on Friday, April 6 as they host UC Santa Barbara in a doubleheader at Bill Simoni Field. The first game will begin at 1:00 pm.
