Feb. 15, 2008
Santa Clara Box Score
Wichita State Box Score
Stanford, Calif. - The Pacific softball team split a pair of contests at the Stanford Invitational on Friday, Feb. 15, defeating Santa Clara, 7-3, before falling to Wichita State, 1-0. The split moved the Tigers to 2-4 on the season.
In the opening game of the tournament, the Tigers got a strong pitching performance out of junior Heidi Helberg (Brentwood, Calif.) who held the Bronco bats in check for much of the morning as she gave up just three hits in the contest. After giving up an RBI single in the second inning, Helberg settled into a rhythm in the circle, setting down 13 of the next 15 batters she faced to set the Tigers' up for the win.
With Helberg cruising in the circle and the game tied at one after scoring an unearned run in the third inning, Pacific's bats finally unleashed in the fifth inning as the Tigers posted four runs in the inning to take a commanding lead. The four runs for the Tigers all came with two outs in the inning an all were unearned runs as Pacific took advantage of one of five Bronco defensive miscues in the game to start its rally.
After getting a second chance in the inning after a dropped foul popup, sophomore Kellee Wilson (Tracy, Calif.) continued her clutch hitting at the plate for the Tigers as she doubled into the left-center gap, scoring senior Alyce Jorgensen (Los Altos, Calif.) who had reached base on a single up the middle in the previous at bat.
The double was the start of a string of extra base hits for the Tigers as Wilson was followed by junior Briana Santos (Garden Grove, Calif.) who doubled down the leftfield line, scoring Wilson. With one runner on, senior Mandy Hickman (Phoenix, Ariz.) drove in what would be the eventual winning runs in the game with a blast over the leftcenter wall that struck the light post at Smith Family Field and put the Tigers ahead 5-1. The homerun was the first of the season for the senior catcher.
The Tigers would add a pair of insurance runs in the bottom half of the sixth inning on a two-RBI double by junior Lauren Weyman (Carlsbad, Calif.) after back-to-back singles by sophomore Brittany Hendrickson (San Jose, Calif.) and freshman leadoff Lindsey Pierce (Camarillo, Calif.).
The Broncos were able to mount a small rally in the top of the seventh inning, plating two runs with two hits, a walk and the Tigers' third defensive miscue of the game. However, Pacific was able to squelch the comeback attempt and strand two Santa Clara runners to end the game.
Helberg finished the contest with just three runs and three hits against in seven strong innings of work. She struck out one Bronco while walking five in the contest. Four Tiger hitters each had a pair of base hits in the contest while Weyman and Hickman led the way with two RBI each in the game.
In the second game of the tournament for the Tigers, pitching won the day as Pacific was held without a run for the first time this season while Jorgensen picked up the hard luck loss for the Tigers in the circle despite relinquishing just one unearned run and five hits in seven innings of work. In addition to the five hits, Jorgensen struck out six Shockers, but she was saddled with nine walks in the game.
After three scoreless innings, Wichita State was able to crack the scoreboard in the top of the fourth inning, scoring the lone run of the contest on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Tiffany Dahlquist with the bases loaded. The Shockers setup the score with a one out walk, an error and a single to leftfield.
Down one, the Tigers were able to threaten in the bottom half of the fourth inning, putting a runner on third with only one out, only to strand the tying run 60 feet from pay dirt. In the fifth inning, the Tigers put runners at first and second with only one out, but once again were unable to convert the scoring chance and drive in the running in scoring position.
For the game, Pacific outhit Wichita State, 8-to-5, but Ashly Bright was able to scatter those eight hits as she picked up her second win of the season for the Shockers, throwing the complete game shutout. In addition to the eight hits, Blake struck out six while not recording a walk.
Despite the loss to end the day, the Tigers will not have much time to dwell as they face off with No. 13/14 Stanford on Saturday, Feb. 16 at 12:00 pm at Smith Family Field.
