April 5, 2012

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Final Stats

Score: No. 1 Cal 10, Utah 0 (Five Innings)
Site: Ute Softball Field (Salt Lake City)
Records: Cal 34-1/7-0 Pac-12; Utah 23-10/0-4 Pac-12
Cal Leaders: Frani Echavarria (5 RBI, 1 HR 2 2B); Danielle Henderson (1 HR, 3 RBI)
Next Cal Game: Friday at Utah (3 p.m. PT)

SALT LAKE CITY - The No. 1 California softball certainly packed its bats for the trip to Salt Lake City for the Golden Bears rolled to a 10-0 win over Utah on Thursday afternoon. Senior center fielder Frani Echavarria drove in half of those runs off two doubles and one homer.

"After receiving a big target on our backs on Tuesday on being number one unanimously, every game Is going to be tough because every team is going to play their best nine to beat us," Echavarria said. "So for us to come out as a team and win our first game by 10, speaks volumes about our team. We live to compete. In the Pac-12, anyone can beat anyone. Personally, as a senior, I'm just trying to have fun and leave my mark. My teammates push me to play my best every day."

Cal scored four runs in the second and exploded for five in the fourth en route to the victory.

The Bears improve their overall mark to 34-1 and their Pac-12 record to 7-0 while the Utes drop to 23-10 and 0-4 in the Pac-12.

Jolene Henderson pitched the five-inning two-hitter, owning a no-no until the fourth. She issued seven strikeouts.

"The team came out swinging and really set the tone," Henderson said. "They got us up early and then played great defense. It was a great team win today over a tough team in Utah."

Top of the Second - Cal 4, Utah 0:

Cheyenne Cordes launched a solo shot just fair of the foul post in left field. Danielle Henderson walked then went to third when Victoria Jones doubled down the left-field line. Frani Echavarria scored both Henderson and Jones with a double to left. Echavarria came home when Jace Williams made contact.

Top of the Third - Cal 5, Utah 0:

Cheyenne Cordes doubled down the left-field line, advanced to third on a Danielle Henderson ground out and scored when Echavarria doubled to left.

Top of the Fourth - Cal 10, Utah 0:

With Breana Kostreba at second (single) Cheyenne Cordes at first (walk), Danielle Henderson launched a shot to center to put Cal ahead 8-0. Victoria Jones singled to short and scored thanks to a Frani Echavarria homer to right.

Next Time on the Diamond:

The Pac-12 series between Cal and Utah continues at 3 p.m. on Friday, April 7 and concludes Saturday, April 8 at 11 a.m. PT.