April 11, 2009
Box Score
Stockton, Calif. - Looking for their first conference series win of the season, the Pacific softball team was derailed on its way to a win in game three of its series with UC Riverside on Saturday, April 11. A four run fifth inning for the Highlanders halted the Tigers bid for victory as UC Riverside took home a 5-3 win over Pacific. The loss dropped the Tigers to 16-24 overall and 1-8 in conference play while the Highlanders improved to 15-23 on the year and 4-5 in the Big West.
A fast start for the Tigers would not be enough to secure victory as Pacific's missed opportuinies early to blow the contest wide open would come back to haunt them later in the game.
After a one-two-three inning in the first, the Tigers cracked the scoreboard for the first time in the game in the second inning of play, posting their first crooked number of the series with a pair of runs in the inning. A leadoff single by junior Kellee Wilson (Tracy, Calif.) started the inning off right for the Tigers. She would advance into scoring position two pitches later by stealing her first base of the season.
With Wilson at second, senior Briana Santos (Garden Grove, Calif.) put down a sacrifice bunt just in front of the plate to move Wilson to third. However, the throw to first by Amy Lwin, UC Riverside's starting pitcher, was wild, sailing into foul territory and into right field. On the throw, Wilson scored the Tigers first run of the game and Santos moved to second to keep the pressure on the Highlanders.
A walk, a sacrifice and an infield single by junior Brittany Hendrickson (San Jose, Calif.) had the Tigers threatening a huge inning as they loaded the bases with only one out. Again, the Tigers took advantage of an error in the field by UC Riverside as a chopped ground ball to first was thrown away by the Highlanders as they attempted to cut down Santos at the plate. The errant throw allowed Santos to score, however, the Tigers attempted to steal a second run on the play, sending freshman Amanda Collier (Sparks, Nev.) home from second on the loose ball only to see her cut down at the plate for the second out of the inning. The out would prove to be important as the Highlanders retired senior Casey Goldsand (Scottsdale, Ariz.) for the third out of the inning on the very next pitch.
In the third, the Tigers would strike again, plating a third run in the game on an infield single by Santos. Santos legged out the infield single with two outs in the inning, beating out a close throw that allowed freshman Paige Emerson (Rocklin, Calif.) to score from second. Emerson had reached earlier in the inning on a perfectly executed drag bunt on the first base line and moved to second with her second stolen base of the season. She would finish 2-for-4 on the day. With momentum seemingly in their favor, the Tigers would be unable to capitalize for more runs as the inning came to an end on a runners interference call at second base.
Up 3-0, the Tigers would see the Highlanders begin their comeback in the top of the fourth inning on a solo shot over the center field fence by Brittany Keeney that would break up senior Chelsea Engle's (Folsom, Calif.) shutout bid. The lone run would be a precursor to what was to come as the Highlanders broke open the game themselves in the top of the fifth, taking control of the game and the series with a four run inning from which the Tigers would not recover.
In the fifth, an opening error by the Tigers in the field would lead to the first run of the inning for the Highlanders as a dropped fly ball allowed Kameryn Hebenton to reach base and move to second to start the inning. A walk and a sacrifice later the Highlanders had runners at second and third and only one out in the inning. With two runners on, Jessica Vasser slashed a double just over the head of Wilson at first and down the right field line, plating both runners and tying the game at 3-3.
With the game tied, a single through the right side knocked Engle out of the contest and set up UC Riverside to take the lead in the. With senior Heidi Helberg (Brentwood, Calif.) in the game in relief of Engle, the Tigers picked up the second out of the inning on a ground ball to short that allowed the runner at first to move to second. With runners again at second and third, the Highlanders caught a break as a pop up behind third base off the bat of Brooke Hebenton was lost in the sun by Emerson, dropping in fair territory and allowing both runners to score what would be the game's winning runs.
Down 5-3 and now facing Marissa Alvidrez, who beat the Tigers in game two of the double header the previous day, the Tigers would mount just one threat in the final three innings of play, putting runners on the corners with only one out in the bottom of the fifth only to come up empty in their pursuit of a comeback.
In the circle, Engle picked up the loss to drop to 7-10 on the season as she allowed five hits and five runs, two earned, in 4.1 innings of work. Additionally, Engle struck out five and walked just two. Helberg, in relief, threw 2.2 innings, giving up three hits and striking out two. For the Highlanders, Alvidrez picked up the win as she shutout the Tigers over the final four innings of the contest, giving up just three hits and walking one while striking out two.
Pacific will be back in action on Saturday, April 18, in Fullerton, Calif. to take on the Titans of Cal State Fullerton. The double header begins at 12:00 pm.
