LOS ANGELES – The California Golden Bears (13-33, 3-15 ACC) are on a painful eight game losing streak since beating conference opponent Louisville in game one of their three game series at the beginning of April. This past weekend, the Bears travelled south to Northridge, CA and Los Angeles, CA for trio of non-conference games against the Cal State Northridge Matadors (12-28, 7-14 Big West) and the #9 UCLA Bruins (41-5, 16-2 B1G).
Thursday, Game 1: Cal 3 - 6 CSUN
On Thursday the Bears travelled down to the hometown of sophomore pitcher Kiki Mashhoud to face Cal State Northridge in a midweek matchup. The Bears struck first when Mya McGowan (sitting at the pitcher/designated player spot in the lineup) got her third hit in two games, this one an RBI single to bring Anaya Togia home from second for a 1-0 lead. McGowan was then given the starting nod from head coach Steve Singleton, taking the opportunity to keep CSUN to just one hit through two innings.
Both sides remained silent until the bottom of the third when an RBI double and a batter hit by a pitch with the bases loaded saw two cross the plate for Northridge. CSUN’s lead lasted only four at-bats in the fourth inning before the Bears reclaimed it. With two outs down, Sophia Everett knocked a double into left field to give Cal some life. Five pitches later, Maddie Rey skied a high fly ball that bounced off the scoreboard in left field, giving the Bears the 3-2 advantage.
In the bottom of the fourth, Kiki Mashhoud was brought in to relieve McGowan, taking the opportunity to sit down the first three batters she faced in order on ten total pitches in front of a hometown crowd. The Golden Bears maintained their 3-2 lead until the bottom of the sixth when Northridge stormed ahead by three. The Matadors tied things up with an RBI single, then added an additional three runs off two more RBI singles. The late two out rally would call an end to Mashhoud’s day in the circle after 2.2 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 3 Ks. McGowan returned to close out the game she started by grabbing the final out in the bottom of the sixth to keep the score at 6-3. In the top of the seventh, Cal failed to bring in any more runs, giving the Matadors the 6-3 victory–their first over the Bears since 1995. McGowan ended her day with 3.1 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 1 K.
Cal recorded 8 hits on 27 at-bats, with Sophia Everett hitting 2-2 with a double and a single, Maddie Rey going 1-4 with a 2-run home run, and Mya McGowan going 1-2 with an RBI single. Sophia Everett recorded a stolen base, while Kayla Lee picked up two. WP: Alizae Cole (3-1) 3.0 IP, 2 H, 2 BB. LP: Kiki Mashhoud 2.2 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 3 K.
Saturday, Game 1: Cal 5 - 13 #9 UCLA (5)
For the first time since the original members of the PAC-12 disbanded, UCLA and Cal faced each other at Easton Stadium in Los Angeles. UCLA–the #9 team in the country and tied for second in the B1G–entered game one of Saturday’s double-header the winners of ten straight, dominating teams with electric bats and precise pitching. Both of these aspects were on full display throughout the ballgame, especially the Bruin’s pitching, which kept Cal hitless in three of five innings and scoreless until the fifth.
Singleton called on Tamya Waiters to begin the day in the circle, the first time she’s started a game since March. UCLA got on the board quickly in the first, scoring on an RBI ground out with the bases loaded. In the following inning, the Bruins made it a five run ball game by sending out a solo homer and a 3-run homer over the fence in left field. The pair of home runs brought Taylor Peacock into the circle to relieve Tamya Waiters and end the second inning before any more damage could be done, although Waiters would return later on.
After a silent top of the third from Cal, Peacock again stepped up to the circle, this time retiring the side in ten pitches thanks to a timely 6-4-3 double play. However the silence from UCLA’s bats would not last long. In the bottom of the fourth, UCLA added two more from a 2-run home run to give them a 7-0 advantage. Layna Gerhard was called in to relieve Peacock, who threw for 1.1 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, and 1 BB before being pulled.
Down seven and in need of a rally, the Golden Bears finally found their stride in the top of the fifth. Togia hit a lead off single to left field to begin the inning, and Anya German got a seven pitch walk to put runners on first and second. It took Kaylia Counts just two consecutive foul balls before she put Cal on the board with a hard hit RBI double to center field, scoring Togia while advancing German to third. On the following at bat Gator Robinson–who has been going through a drought of hits since the end of March–lit up the first pitch of her at-bat, sending a 2-RBI double into center field to cut Cal’s deficit to four. With one out down and a new pitcher in for UCLA, Everett launched a rocket into right field to score another two runs to bring the Bears within two.
The Bruins responded with a slew of runs in the bottom of the fifth. First, a 2-RBI single with the bases loaded would bring an end to Gerhard’s day in the circle. Gerhard threw for 1.0 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, and 4 BB, and Waiters was called on to close out the inning. With a 9-5 lead, UCLA picked up two more runs from an RBI single to go up 11-5. The Bruins hit the final nail in the coffin for game one on the following two at-bats, as a pair of back-to-back RBI doubles into center field gave UCLA an eight run 13-5 lead, activating the mercy rule.
The Golden Bears struggled to put together an offensive strike against the Bruins, earning just 5 hits in 20 at-bats. Sophia Everett went 1-3 with a home run and 2 RBIs, Gator Robinson went 1-2 with a double and 2 RBIs, and Kayli Counts went 1-2 with a double and an RBI. From the field: the Bears turned a 6-4-3 double play in the third inning. WP: Brynne Nally (4-1) 4.0 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 1 K. LP: Tamya Waiters (1-6) 2.0 IP, 28 H, 7 ER, 4 BB.
Saturday, Game 2: Cal 1 - 9 #9 UCLA (5)
After a short intermission, the Bears and Bruins returned to the field to finish out the second game of their double-header. McGowan was again called upon to start in the circle for Cal, her second starting role in three games. The bats of UCLA were quick to pounce on the freshman pitcher, with their lead off batter hitting a solo home run on McGowan’s second pitch of the game. The Bruins scored two more a couple at-bats later on the second home run of the game, which resulted in McGowan being pulled from the circle after facing five batters and giving up 3 H, 4 R, and 3 ER. Mashhoud was called on in relief, and after giving up an RBI sac fly closed out the first thanks to a double play down 4-0.
The second inning passed silently as Mashhoud sat down three UCLA batters on five pitches while her counterpart–Bruins’ ace Taylor Tinsley–did the same with six. Cal clawed back one from the Bruins after Gator Robinson went yard with a solo shot to left center. However the third inning would be the last time the Bears would score or record a hit for the rest of the game. In the bottom of the same frame, UCLA plated four runs with three home runs, bringing an end to Mashhoud’s day after 2.2 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, and 1 BB, and giving the Bruins an 8-1 lead.
Gerhard was called into the circle in relief for Mashhoud, and was able to keep UCLA from adding any more runs to the board aside from a solo home run in the fourth. Gerhard would close out the game with 1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, and 1 BB. In the bottom of the fifth, with another loss by fifth inning mercy rule looming, Cal attempted to pull off a last minute rally. With one out down, Robinson got herself into scoring position thanks to a ground ball from Emma Jackson and a rare throwing error from the Bruins. However, the Bears were not able to bring Robinson home, and Cal ultimately fell to UCLA 9-1 in game two of the double header.
Cal was completely held in check by UCLA pitcher Taylor Tinsley, earning only 3 hits on 19 at-bats. Gator Robinson has returned to her regular form as she went 1-2 with a home run, and Sophia Everett knocked in a pair of singles. Emma Jackson was credited with an error, and the Golden Bears nabbed two double plays: a 6-4-3 double play in the bottom of the first, and a 4-6-3 double play in the bottom of the second. WP: Taylor Tinsley (23-3) 5 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K. LP: Mya McGowan (4-12) 0.0 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 3 ER.
What’s Next?
Cal’s final non-conference game against Saint Mary’s was cancelled on Monday due to inclement weather in the bay area. So the Golden Bears are returning to northern California for their final home series of the season, although they will be the home team in enemy territory. The 2026 Big Swing will be held at Stanford’s new softball stadium instead of Viking Field at West Valley College. Cal will still be considered the home team despite playing in the “away” teams stadium. After that, the Bears will play their final series of the 2026 regular season against Pitt on the first weekend in May.
Tickets for Big Swing can be purchased here. All games will be streamed on ESPN+. Go Bears!
Keep battling you Bears!