April 7, 2007

Box Score

Stockton, Calif. - Behind a two-hit shutout from sophomore Chelsea Engle (Folsom, Calif.) the Pacific softball team posted a 1-0 win over UC Santa Barbara (UCSB) on Saturday, April 7. The win gave the Tigers a series sweep of the visiting Gauchos and improved their record to 28-13 on the season and 3-0 in Big West play while dropping UCSB to 20-14 overall and 0-6 in the conference.

After playing two extra inning, one run, contests a day ago to start the series, game three was nearly the same as the Tigers captured their fourth straight win with another one run win over UC Santa Barbara. Leading the way for the Tigers in the game was Engle, who dominated the Gauchos' lineup through seven innings of work to pick up her second win of the weekend.

In the first inning, Engle relinquished one of her two hits on the day on the first pitch of the game to Christine Ramos who dropped a single into left-center field to begin the day. From that point forward Engle would settle in to her groove, only allowing UCSB hitters to reach base via the three walks and two hit batters until the seventh inning. In the third and the fifth innings Engle retired the side in order. In addition, Engle recorded six first pitch outs in the contest.

The only trouble Engle got into the entire game came in the top of the seventh inning as the Gauchos tried to mount a last ditch rally as they had done in both games the previous day. After the first batter reached base on just the second Gaucho hit, Engle hit her third batter of the day to put runners at first and second. With a sacrifice bunt, UCSB appeared as if they would be able to rally to tie the game as they had two runners in scoring position with just one out and the top of their order stepping to the plate. However, Engle had other thoughts as she struck out Ramos on a 3-2 pitch to get the second out of the inning. Coming into the at bat, Ramos was 5-for-11 in the series. With two outs, Engle finished off the Gauchos by inducing a lazy pop up to senior Lizzie Hagen (Anaheim, Calif.) at short to seal the perfect conference start for the Tigers.

"Chelsea's ability to get better and make pitches in big situations was huge for her today," said pitching coach Laura Severson. "With runners on second and third and only one out in the seventh the pitch she threw to strike out Ramos was big league. We trusted her to make her pitches and she came through for the team."

Engle was put in position to seal the game in the seventh inning when the Tigers finally busted through the scoreless tie in the bottom of the sixth inning with a single run. A leadoff walk to junior Alyce Jorgensen (Los Altos, Calif.) started things off for the Tigers. Junior Lauren Sandelin (Sedro-Woolley, Wash.) came into run for Jorgensen and promptly moved to second and into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by freshman Karie Wilson (Glendale, Ariz.). The second out of the inning was made on a ground out to the shortstop, forcing Sandelin to hold at second. Another scoring opportunity appeared as if it may be wasted by the Tigers with one of their fastest runners on second, but sophomore Casey Goldsand (Scottsdale, Ariz.) came through again for the Tigers in the clutch, knocking a single up the middle that scored Sandelin and gave the Tigers the one run lead heading into the seventh inning.

Pacific had other chances in the game to score, most notably in the second inning when the first three Tiger batters reached base safely, only to be stranded with no runs to show for the inning.

For the series Goldsand and senior Jennifer Curtier (Lancaster, Calif.) led the way with four hits a piece in nine at bats. The duo combined for all three game winning RBI as Goldsand pushed in the game-winners in the first and third games of the series while Curtier won game two with an RBI double in the eighth inning. Karie Wilson also finished the series hitting over .400 as she went 3-for-7 on the weekend.

The Tigers will be back in action on Saturday, April 14, as they play host to the Highlanders of UC Riverside in a Big West Conference doubleheader. The first game is scheduled for 12:00 pm.