Feb. 21, 2009
Box Score
Bakersfield, Calif. - Freshman Amanda Collier (Sparks, Nev.) homered for the first time in her career and the Pacific Softball team improved to .500 on the year with a 9-5 win over Santa Clara in Bakersfield, Calif. on Saturday, February 21. The win moved the Tigers to 4-4 on the year.
In the game, Collier went 2-for-3 with two RBI while senior Heidi Helberg (Brentwood, Calif.) picked up her third win of the year in the circle for the Tigers.
Behind a pair of big innings early in the game, the Tigers were able to stake themselves to a quick eight run lead that would be more then enough to bring home the victory.
After relinquishing a solo run in the top half of the first inning, Pacific went to work in the bottom half of the frame, pounding out four hits to plate four runs in the inning. Once again, the top of the order got things rolling for the Tigers quickly as senior Casey Goldsand (Scottsdale, Ariz.) led the game off with a single into right field before putting herself in position to score by stealing second. Sophomore Nicole Matson (Castaic, Calif.), with one out in the inning, hit a sharp ground ball up the middle that was unplayable by the Bronco defense placing runners at first and third. not to wait for things to happen, Matson stole second setting up dual scoring threats for the Tigers at second and third.
With runners in scoring postion, Collier lined a single into center field to plate Pacific's first run of the contest and keep the Tigers inning rolling. With one across, the Tigers took advantage of an sharp ground ball to third off the bat of junior Kellee Wilson (Tracy, Calif.) to take their first lead of the game. Pacific would plate two more runners in the inning on infield singles, taking a commanding 4-1 lead in the first inning.
Two innings later, the Tigers struck for four more runs, taking an 8-1 lead in the third inning of play. After back-to-back walks put runners on base for the Tigers, junior Karie Wilson (Glendale, Ariz.) came through with her second single of the contest to plating her second runner of the game. After an RBI single by junior Brittany Hendrickson (San Jose, Calif.) prolonged the inning and pushed across another run for the Tigers, freshman Paige Emerson (Rocklin, Calif.) finished off the Tigers' inning with a two RBI single into center field to give Pacific's its eight runs.
In the fourth, both teams traded runs as the Tigers looked to close out the Broncos, up 9-2 in the fourth. Pacific's lone run came off the bat of Collier who blasted her first collegiate home run over the left field wall. Despite the early lead, the Tigers would let the Broncos creep back into the contest over the next two innings as the Broncos tagged Helberg for three runs over the fifth and sixth innings before freshman Gabby McDaniel (Sacramento, Calif.) entered the game to shutdown Santa Clara's late inning rally.
Overall, Collier and Karie Wilson led the way for the Tigers offensively as the duo each posted two RBI in the contest. Wilson finished the game a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate while Collier went 2-for-3. Emerson, Pacific's starting centerfielder posted a 2-for-4 outing also driving in two of Pacific's nine runs.
In the circle, Helberg threw 5.1 innings enroute to her third win. She gave up five hits and five runs, only two earned, while striking out two. McDaniel, in relief, struck out one Bronco in 1.2 innings of work while giving up just one hit.
For the Broncos, Jenna Fong suffered the loss in the circle as she gave up five runs and nine hits in 4.1 innings of action. Four different Broncos tallied RBIs in the loss.
