SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Fourth-ranked Cal pounded out a combined 14 runs
and 24 hits in two games as the Bears swept a non-conference
doubleheader from the Sacramento State softball team Wednesday
afternoon at Shea Stadium. Cal won the first game, 5-1, before taking
the nightcap, 9-1.
With the victories, the Bears improved to 43-4 overall. Sacramento
State, which has now lost five straight, dropped to 14-26. Prior to
today, the Hornets had never been as far as 12 games under .500 in
their Div. I history (1990-pres.)
In game one, Cal starter Jocelyn Forest (22-3) picked up the win,
allowing just one infield hit in five innings while striking out 11.
At one point, Forest had struck out seven Hornets in a row and had a
no-hitter through 3.2 innings before Jennifer Jokinen's infield hit.
The Bears were led offensively by Courtney Scott and Mikella Pedretti
who each finished with three hits. Cal got on the board first with
two runs in the second on an RBI-single Kristen Morley and an error
scoring Pedretti. The Bears added one run in the third on a Scott
RBI-single and two more in the fifth on consecutive RBI-singles by
Scott and Pedretti.
The Hornets got their only run in the sixth off of reliever Jennifer
Deering after pinch runner Roni Rodrigues scored on a throwing error
by Scott. Sacramento State starter Jillian Bivert (4-9) picked up the
loss, allowing five runs (four earned) and 10 hits in seven innings.
In the second game, all but two Cal starters picked up at least one
hit as the team finished with nine runs and 14 hits off Hornet
starter Nicole Deatherage (7-12). The Bears scored in all but the
first and third innings as Scott and Morley each recorded a team-best
three hits.
Cal starter Nicole DiSalvio (16-1) picked up the win, limiting the
Hornets to five hits and one run in six innings. Deering pitched a
perfect seventh to finish the game. After Sacramento State had closed
to within, 2-1, on an Amber Dragomir RBI-single in the third inning,
Cal put the game away with three runs in the top of the fourth.
The Bears' big blow in the fourth came on a two-run single by Paige
Bowie. Cal first baseman Veronica Nelson, who entered the game with
14 home runs, was intentionally walked all nine times she came to the
plate during the doubleheader.
Sacramento State returns to the field this Friday-Saturday, April
13-14, as the team travels to Logan, Utah, for a three-game Big West
Conference series at Utah State.
