Cal Softball Drops Close Series to Louisville
California steals game one away from the Cardinals, but can’t follow up to take the series
SARATOGA – After weeks of traveling out east, the California Golden Bears (13-27, 3-12 ACC) returned home to the Bay Area for a three game home series against the Louisville Cardinals (32-8, 8-4 ACC). The Bears fought hard against the Cardinals over the weekend, belying how both teams sit on opposite ends of the ACC standings. Cal was able to steal away game one from Louisville, however the Cardinals stormed back in games two and three to take the series.
Thursday, Game 1: Cal 7 - 5 Louisville
California pulled off an upset win against the Cardinals in game one of their three game series in Saratoga, launching off to a large lead and fending off the Cardinals through the final innings. The game began with a hitless one and a half innings as Cal’s starting pitcher Layna Gerhard and Louisville’s Alyssa Zabala fought to keep the other side silent.
The Bears struck first in the bottom of the second inning, going on a huge rally that gave them a commanding lead. Anaya Togia and Kyndal Todd’s good plate discipline earned them both walks to begin the rally, and a sacrifice bunt from Natalie Marshall brought them to second and third. Kayli Counts and Emma Jackson opened up the scoring with an RBI single and RBI fielder’s choice respectively, and Gator Robinson brought home two more with a 2-RBI double to give Cal a 4-0 lead.
From there, the two teams exchanged runs, the Cardinals starting off the back-and-forth by responding to Cal’s lead-taking second inning when third Riley Janda knocked a solo homer into center field to get the Cardinals on the board in the top of the third, and Kyndal Todd returned the favor in the bottom of the frame with an RBI ground out. In the fourth, Louisville’s Jordan Williams hit her own solo home run while Easton Lotus added an RBI single, and Cal’s Maddie Rey turned on the first pitch of her at-bat to bring in an RBI double and give Cal a 6-3 lead. In the top of the fifth, Layna Gerhard’s day would come to an end one out into the inning, as closer Taylor Peacock was called upon to take the Bears the rest of the way. Gerhard ended her day with 4.1 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 4 BB, and 1 SO. Despite the pitching change, Louisville’s Williams hit a 2-RBI double, bringing the Cardinals within easy striking distance of Cal’s lead.
A late RBI single in the bottom of the sixth by Rey gave Cal an insurance run to put the score at 7-5. Despite giving up a lead off single in the top of the seventh, Taylor Peacock locked down the rest of Louisville’s lineup, securing game one and Cal’s first ever lead in a conference series this season.
The Golden Bears finished the day with 8 hits on 26 at-bats, with Maddie Rey going 3-4 with 2 RBI’s and a double while recording her 13th straight game with at least one hit. Carly Raven, Gator Robinson, and Sophia Everett each recorded a double as well. Emma Jackson stole a base, while Kayli Counts and Carly Raven were each credited with an error.
WP: Layna Gerhard (5-2) 4.1 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 4 BB, 1 K.
LP: Alyssa Zabala (8-3) 2.0 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 2 BB 1 K.
SAVE: Taylor Peacock (2) 2.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER.
Friday, Game 2: Cal 3 - 6 Louisville
After a riveting win the day before, California returned to Viking Field for game two looking to solidify the upset with a series win. Head Coach Steve Singleton called on Kiki Mashhoud to start the game for Cal in the circle. The Cardinals–looking for a little redemption after the prior day’s loss–got on the board early with a 2-0 lead thanks to some aggressive small ball plays to bring two runs in on an RBI single and RBI sacrifice fly. The Bears offense went down in order in the bottom of the first, and it took just eleven pitches for Mashhoud to retire Louisville’s side in the second.
In the bottom of the same frame, California closed the deficit in four pitches, as Raven and Anaya Togia combined for a pair of back-to-back solo home runs to knot things up at two apiece. However, those two home runs would stand as Cal’s only scores until the seventh inning. In the top of the third, Louisville regained the lead with an RBI ground rule double, putting the Cardinals ahead 3-2. In the following inning, Louisville extended their lead with a 2-RBI triple and an RBI single that would call an end to Mashhoud’s day. Kiki Mashhoud was relieved in the fourth by Mya McGowan, the sophomore starter finishing her outing with 3.1 IP, 9 H, 6 ER, 1 BB, and 1 K.
McGowan shut the Cardinals’ offense down, allowing only two hits (a pair of singles) through the rest of the game. The Bears’ freshman pitcher finished her day with a dominant showing of 3.2 IP, 2 H, and 1 BB. However, the Bears’ bats had gone cold through the rest of the game as well, being unable to string a rally together. Cal’s final run was scored in the bottom of the seventh when pinch hitter D’Auna Johnson hit an RBI ground out, scoring pinch runner Harmony Andrade from third to cut the lead to 6-3.
Cal recorded 6 hits on 26 at-bats, with Anaya Togia going 2-3 with a home run and a base hit, Carly Raven going 1-3 with a home run, and Anya German going 1-2 with a single in the seventh that would lead to Cal’s final run. WP: Brooke Gray (9-1) 6.0 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 3 K. LP: Kiki Mashhoud (2-8) 3.1, 9 H, 6 ER, 1 BB, 1 K.
Saturday, Game 3: Cal 2 - 12 Louisville
With the series-deciding rubber match up next, the Bears had one goal in mind for game three: take the series. To that end, Singleton gave Mya McGowan the starting nod. With a performance similar to her outing the day prior, Cal could wrap up the Easter weekend with an upset series win against the #4 team in the ACC.
Like in game two, Louisville took an early lead over California, knocking an RBI sacrifice fly into the right field to go up 1-0 in the top of the first. However Cal stole the lead in the bottom of the same frame, with Raven doing it all herself by hitting a double into deep left field that brought Rey home from first. Raven reached third on the throw, and she then took off for home after a wild pitch on the following at-bat, giving Cal a 2-1 lead. Louisville responded in the top of the second, tying the game with an RBI double before regaining the lead off an RBI single.
From there, both sides would go completely silent through the fourth inning. Only one hit was allowed in that stretch, a single off the bat of Anya German in the bottom of the second. However, Louisville tore open the lead in the top of fifth, starting with a 3-run homer off the bat of Bri Despines. The home run would bring about a pitching change, ending McGowan’s time in the circle with 4.1 IP, 5 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, and 1 K as Taylor Peacock took to the circle in relief. Following the pitching change, the Cardinals scored another three runs, first off an RBI double to center field, and then a 2-run homer by Jordan Williams. Peacock was pulled immediately after, having given up 0.0 IP, 3 H, and 3 ER. Layna Gerhard was called into the circle to finish the game for the Golden Bears, and she stopped the bleeding with four pitches to force the final two outs in the fifth.
Again both sides remained silent, aside from a 3-run homer from Louisville’s Madison Pickens in the seventh inning, and the Cardinals cruised to a 12-2 victory over the Golden Bears. Gerhard closed out the game for California, finishing her day with 2.2 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, and 1 K.
The Bears finished out game three with 4 hits on 26 at-bats, with Carly Raven going 1-2 with a double, an RBI, and a run scored on a wild pitch, while Anya German, Anaya Togia, and Maddie Rey each picked up singles. Xiomei Geluz stole a base, and Carly Raven and Gator Robinson were each credited with an error. WP: Alyssa Zabala (9-3) 4 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 4 K. LP: Mya McGowan (4-9) 4.1 IP, 5 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 1 K.
What’s Next:
Cal enters into another stretch of away games as the season begins to wind down. First up is a three game conference series against North Carolina State in Raleigh, NC, beginning Friday, April 10th. With both Cal and NC State being ranked 13th and 12th respectively in the ACC standings, the series will be very important for deciding who makes it as the last team in for the ACC tournament. Following the trip to Raleigh, the Golden Bears will be heading to southern California for a game against Cal State Northridge on April 16th, and a double-header against #8 UCLA on April 18th. Go Bears!