March 28, 2009

Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score

Northridge, Calif. - Defensive miscues for the Tigers and timely hitting from the Matadors proved to be too much for the Pacific softball team to overcome on Saturday, March. 28, as Pacific dropped a pair of games to Cal State Northridge, 3-0 & 4-2, to open Big West Conference play. The losses dropped the Tigers to 15-17 overall and 0-2 in conference action while the Matadors improved to 22-9 on the season and 2-0 in the Big West.

Looking to get started on the right track in Big West Conference play, the Tigers struggled in the field against Cal State Northridge, committing three errors in each game of the double header, costing the Pacific all seven of the runs scored against them. The defensive miscues for Pacific produced a pair of big innings for the Matadors, providing enough run support for conference opening victories.

In game one, the damage against the Tigers came early in the contest as the Matadors scored all three of their runs in the second inning. A pair of walks and a bunt single by the bottom of the Matadors' order got the inning rolling, setting up the top of the order to do the damage against Pacific. With runners in scoring position, a sharply hit ball down the first base line was miss played by the Tigers in the field, allowing the first two runs of the inning to score and placing runners at the corners. A cued shot off the top of the bat to third allowed the third and final run of the inning score for the Matadors as Cal State Northridge collected three runs in the inning without the benefit of a ball being hit to the outfield.

The three runs scored in the inning would prove to be enough for the Matadors as the Tigers' top ranked offense struggled against Deborah Duran, Cal State Northridge's starting pitcher, posting just two hits in the game. Duran earned the victory for the Matadors to move to 15-5 on the year, finishing seven complete innings with four strike outs and no batters walked. Senior Chelsea Engle (Folsom, Calif.) dropped to 6-8 on the season in the circle after picking up the hard luck loss. Engle threw six complete innings, relinquishing six hits and three unearned runs while striking out two and walking two.

Game two proved to play out in much the same manner as the opening game of the double header for the Tigers as defensive miscues led to four unearned runs that would eventually cost Pacific the contest.

Unlike game one of the day, the Tigers jumped out front of the Matadors earlier, taking advantage of a lead-off double in the second by freshman Amanda Collier (Sparks, Nev.) to get their first run of the day on the board. After moving to third on a ground ball out, Collier came in to score the first run of the game on a sacrifice fly to left field off the bat of junior Karie Wilson (Glendale, Ariz.).

Despite the early lead, the Matadors would once again parlay Tiger errors in the field into a big inning, scoring four runs in the fourth to take control of the contest and with it the series. The big damage in the inning came from Micah Putnam and Jennifer Mosier who each came through with two-RBI hits in the inning to give the Matadors the lead.

Again, the runs scored in the big inning would hold up against the Tigers as Pacific tried to rally in the top of the seventh, scoring their own unearned run in the inning before finally falling to the Matadors.

In the game, Wilson led the way offensively, posting two hits in two at bats while four other Tigers each added a single hit. Senior Casey Goldsand (Scottsdale, Ariz.), who entered the day with a 15 game hitting streak, saw her team-high streak come to an end, finishing the day 0-for-6 at the plate.

Senior Heidi Helberg (Brentwood, Calif.) was tagged with the loss for the Tigers falling to 5-5 on the year. In 3.2 innings of work, Helberg gave up five hits and four unearned runs while striking out three and walking two. Hannah Fraijo picked up the win to move to 5-1 on the year. Duran picked up her second save of the year in relief of Fraijo.

The Tigers and the Matadors will finish their three game series tomorrow, Sunday, March 29 with a single game slated for 12:00 pm.