March 25, 2009
Box Score
Stockton, Calif. - Facing the No. 12 ranked Golden Bears of Cal, the Pacific softball team could not overcome its own mistakes, falling 11-6 at home at Bill Simoni Field on Wednesday, March 25. The loss dropped the Tigers to 15-15 overall on the year while the Bears improved to 23-8.
Looking for a signature win against a top-25 team with non-conference action nearing its conclusion, the Tigers had their chances against the Golden Bears, only to see their efforts derailed by the power of the Cal lineup. In the contest the Tigers pounded out 12 hits and tallied six runs, however, Pacific also left 14 runners on base throughout the game, a problem Cal would capitalize on. For Cal, the Golden Bears posted nine hits in the contest, four of which were round-trippers, to score 11 runs, taking down the Tigers for the second year in a row.
Pacific posted the first runs of the game on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first inning, making use of four singles and a bases loaded walk to do the damage. Back in the lineup after missing the last four games with a injury, senior Casey Goldsand (Scottsdale, Ariz.) wasted little time getting back her groove at the plate, slapping the second pitch of the inning into left-center field to start the first inning rally for Pacific. The hit was the first of two hits in the contest for the senior second basemen and extended her hitting streak to 15 games.
Following Goldsand, sophomore Lindsey Pierce (Camarillo, Calif.) beat out an infield hit to third before the Tigers loaded the bases for the first time in the game on an infield hit to first by freshman Amanda Collier (Sparks, Nev.) with one out in the inning. The first run of the game came across the plate after freshman Alexa Rivera (Sacramento, Calif.) ripped a single up the middle, pushing Goldsand home and keeping the bases loaded. Pacific would get a free run in the inning two batters later when senior Briana Santos (Garden Grove, Calif.) worked a full count walk to pick up the easy RBI.
Up two runs after their first trip to the plate, the Tigers suddenly found themselves behind the Bears in the top of the second after Cal parlayed a leadoff walk into their first run. A single two batters later and a wild pitch allowed Cal to put runners at second an third. With two outs in the inning, Lauren Bauer flared a single into center field scoring the first two runs of the game for Bears. She would trot home herself when Valerie Arioto, Cal's starting pitcher, lined her first of two home runs on the day over the right field fence to help out her own cause and give teh Bears the 4-2 lead.
Down heading into their second trip to the plate, Pacific responded in the inning with three runs to retake the lead from Cal, 5-4. After an error allowed Goldsand to reach first with one out in the inning, Pierce and Emerson followed with singles onto the outfield grass, the last of which plated Goldsand for the second time in as many innings. With two outs in the inning Rivera knocked home the final two runs of the inning after legging out a single to second base that drew a slow throw to first, allowing Emerson to score from second.
Back in the lead, the Tigers would hold the lead for only one more inning as Arioto struck for the second time in the top of the fourth, launching a two-out, three-run shot over the left field wall to secure the lead that Cal would not give back. Up 7-5, Cal added two more runs in the fifth on a two-run shot off the bat of Taylor Kelly and a pair of insurance runs in the sixth on a two-run home run by Sanoe Kekahuna.
Pacific's only answer to the offensive onslaught was a single unearned run in the bottom of the fifth inning on a free pass to first with the bases loaded after Collier was struck on the leg by an errant pitch. The bases loaded situation was the third of the day for the Tigers, a feat they would duplicate in the seventh for the fourth time in the game. However, the Tigers would come up empty, falling in their late comeback attempt.
Arioto picked up the win for Cal, relinquishing nine hits and five runs in four innings pitched. Teamed with Marissa Drewrey, the Bears posted 14 strike outs in the contest with each pitcher picking up seven. Drewrey was credited with the three inning save after giving up three hits and one run in relief of Arioto.
Freshman Gabby McDaniel (Sacramento, Calif.) picked up the loss for the Tigers to fall to 2-3 on the year. In 3.2 innings, McDaniel gave up five hits and seven runs while striking out seven. Freshman Michelle Tait (Mission Viejo, Calif.) was tagged for the final four runs of the game on four hits in 2.1 innings pitched.
Offensively, Pierce and Emerson each posted three hits in the contest for the Tigers, while Goldsand and Rivera each tallied two. Rivera lead the way with three RBI for Pacific while Pierce and Goldsand each scored a pair of runs.
Pacific will hit the road for the start of Big West Conference play on Saturday, March 28, when the Tigers take on Cal State Northridge in Northridge, Calif. The first day double header begins at 12:00 pm.
