May 26, 2012

Final Stats |  Quotes

Score: No. 1 Seed Cal 5, No. 16 Seed Washington 0
Site: Levine-Fricke Field - Berkeley, Calif.
Records: California 55-4, Washington 39-18
Top Cal Performers: Valerie Arioto (1 HR, 2 RBI); Jace Williams (1 HR); Jolene Henderson (7.0 IP 4 H, 11 SO)
Next Game: Sunday vs. Washington (4:30 p.m.)

BERKELEY - The No. 1-seeded California softball team defeated No. 16-seeded Washington 5-0 in the first game of the Berkeley Super Regional on Saturday evening in front of a sell-out crowd of 1,117 under the lights at Levine-Fricke Field.

Valerie Arioto - who was intentionally walked seven times in the Berkeley Regional - hit a two-run shot in the bottom of the first. Jace Williams followed suit with a solo shot of her own, giving the Bears a 3-0 lead. Switching to the small game in the bottom of the fourth, the Bears tacked on two unearned runs to put the game out of reach.

Jolene Henderson (35-2) pitched the seven-inning victory, fanning 11 Huskies. Kaitlin Inglesby (19-11) suffered the loss after allowing three earned runs on six hits and two walks.

Bottom of the First - Cal 3, UW 0:

Britt Vonk laid down a bunt on a dime to start off Cal's baserunners with a single. Valerie Arioto smashed the third pitch she saw from Inglesby for her 23rd homer of the year. Williams made it a 3-0 game, blasting a 1-1 pitch into the bleachers in right center, her seventh long ball of the season.

Breana Kostreba took a shot to the thigh and was replaced at first base by Elia Reid. Danielle Henderson executed a textbook sacrifice bunt, moving Reid to second. Reid went to third on a passed ball, Victoria Jones drew a walk then stole her first base of the year to put runners at first and second with one out. Cheyenne Cordes hit a grounder to short, but Reid was too quick on the draw and scored. Jones went to third on the Cordes fielder's choice and then came home when Jamia Reid grounded out to second.

Next Time on the Diamond:

Game two will be played Sunday, May 27 at 4 p.m. If the teams have one win each, they will face off in the "if necessary" game three at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday. The first squad to win two games earns one of the coveted eight spots in the Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City. All of the Berkeley Super Regional games will be broadcasted on ESPN2 - with Mark Neely and Amanda Freed on the call - and covered via live chat, the Cal Softball Twitter and on GameTracker.