Cal Splits Midweek Softball Games With Flyers and Buckeyes
Bears recover from FSU’s sweep with a win against Dayton, but falls to Ohio State in second leg of Wednesday’s double header
COLUMBUS – The California Golden Bears (11-23, 1-8 ACC) took a trip to the Great Lakes region this week, stopping in Columbus, OH for a midweek double header against the Dayton Flyers (13-11, 4-5 A10) and the Ohio State Buckeyes (13-18, 3-4 B1G). After a demoralizing string of losses to #10 Florida State by run-rule, Cal entered Wednesday’s contests looking for a win to end their losing streak. The Bears found that win in a high scoring game against the Flyers that saw nineteen cumulative runs scored, before being defeated by the Buckeyes to end the day.
Wednesday, Game 1: Cal 12 - 7 Dayton
California was not silent entering the first ballgame of the day. The Bears offense roared to life from the very first at bat, scoring six and forcing Dayton to relieve starting pitcher Camrynn Linneman before they could end the inning. Cal shortstop Gator Robinson started the day off with a double into center field. She would reach third the following at bat thanks to second baseman Emma Jackson sending a single back at the pitcher. First baseman Carly Raven brought both home with a 2-RBI double to left center, giving Cal the early 2-0 lead. The next at-bat, designated player Kyndal Todd picked up right where she’d left off against FSU by doubling the Bears lead with a 2-run homer. A pair of outs, a single, and two walks later, Cal had batted around and returned to the top of the order with the bases loaded. Robinson picked up a five pitch RBI walk to bring another run aboard, and Jackson knocked in her second single of the game–this one an RBI single bringing home a sixth run for the Bears. On the play, left fielder Kayla Lee attempted to reach home from second but was thrown out at the plate, ending Cal’s rally with a 6-0 lead.
Golden Bears’ skipper Steve Singleton gave Mya McGowan the starting nod, sending out the freshman starter to defend Cal’s big lead. McGowan stepped up to the task, keeping the Flyers to only a walk and a single in the first, with catcher Natalie Marshall throwing out Dayton shortstop Kirnan Bailey herself as she tried to steal second. After a silent second inning, Cal piled on more runs in the third. Marshall kicked off the inning with a lead off double hit well into left field. A bunt by right fielder Sophia Everett brought Marshall to third, and a throwing error allowed Everett to reach first while Marshall scored Cal’s seventh run. After a pitching change, the Flyers were able to turn a quick 4-3 double play that emptied the bases. Despite that, Robinson turned on the first pitch of her next at bat, crushing the Bears’ second homer of the day down the left field line to put Cal up 8-0. In the top of the fourth, Carly Raven added her own moonshot to the Bears’ tally, sending a 2-run homer to right center to give Cal an 10-0 lead.
In the bottom of the fourth, Dayton clawed back a pair of runs from a 2-RBI double to get the Flyers on the board. However McGowan snuffed out any chance of a rally with a six pitch strikeout to end the inning. After a hitless top of the fifth, the Bears were only three outs away from ending the game early by activating the mercy rule. However, that result was not meant to be, as Dayton picked up another two runs off a home run, this time from the bat of catcher Deidre Flaherty. Carly Raven kept the home run party going by sending another ball over the outfield fence, and third baseman Maddie Rey added Cal’s final run in the top of the seventh with an RBI double to give the Bears a 12-4 lead entering the final frame. The Flyers cut the lead to five runs with a 3-run home run from pitcher/third baseman Linneman, however McGowan and the Golden Bears defense shut down the next three batters in order, giving Cal a 12-7 win, their first since March 14th.
The Golden Bears recorded 17 hits on 33 at-bats, with 8 of 11 batters picking up at least one hit on the day. Most notably: Gator Robinson went 2-2 with a double and a home run, Carly Raven went 3-3 with a pair of home runs and a double, and Kyndal Todd went 3-5 with a home run and two singles. Natalie Marshall and Maddie Rey each earned a double, and center fielder Kayli Counts picked up a season high 3 singles in one game. Anaya Togia returned to play for the first time since limping off the field during Cal’s second game against UNC. The junior transfer from LBCC flied out to second base after stepping in as a pinch hitter.
Emma Jackson and Kayli Counts both stole a base, and Jackson was credited with 1 error. From the field: California turned a 6-4-3 double play in the second inning, and Mya McGown picked up the second complete game of her career. WP: Mya McGowan (4-7) 7.0 IP, 7 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 3 K. LP: Camrynn Linneman (3-2) 0.2 IP, 5 H, 6 ER, 2 BB.
Wednesday, Game 2: Cal 3 - 10 Ohio State
Contrary to the previous game, Cal’s offense did not find the same success in the early innings as they had earlier that day. Kiki Mashhoud was given the start against the Buckeyes, and kept them silent through three innings, with the only score allowed in those frames being a 2-run home run in the third off the bat of shortstop Abbie Wilhelm. The Golden Bears tied the game up at two apiece in the top of the fourth thanks to Kyndal Todd knocking in an RBI double down the right field line, and Kayli Counts bringing home another run with an RBI sacrifice fly.
However in the fourth inning Ohio State widened the deficit by four from a solo home run from left fielder Taylor Cruse, and a 3-run homer off the bat of center fielder Skylar Limon, giving the Buckeyes a 6-2 lead. Ohio State added another two in the bottom of the fifth thanks to an RBI triple from Cruse, and an RBI groundout from first baseman Kiki Estrada. Singleton pulled Mashhoud from the circle shortly thereafter, giving reliever Layna Gerhard the chance to pitch against her former team. Mashhoud ended her outing Wednesday with 4.2 IP, 8 H, 8 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, and 2 Ks. Gerhard ended the fifth with a strikeout to prevent the Buckeyes from causing any further damage.
In the top of the sixth, Maddie Rey crushed the third pitch to come her way into left center, going yard for the second time this season. Ohio State responded in the bottom of the same frame, with Wilhelm knocking a final 2-run homer into right center to seal the loss for the Golden Bears 10-3.
Cal struggled at the plate, picking up just 4 hits on 23 at-bats. Maddie Rey went 1-3 with a home run, while Kyndal Todd went 1-2 with a double. From the field: Rey was credited with an error, and the Bears turned a 6-3 double play in the top of the first. WP: Jenna Molk (9-10) 6.0 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 8 K. LP: Kiki Mashhoud (2-6) 4.2 IP, 8 H, 8 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 2 K.
What’s Next:
The Golden Bears continue their tour of the Great Lakes region with a three game ACC conference series against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Due to uncooperative weather in South Bend, IN, the first game of the series–which was set to begin Friday–has been pushed back to Sunday. The series will now begin on Saturday, March 28th at 10am PST, and will be followed with a double header on the Sunday beginning at 7am PST. All three games of this weekend match up are being streamed on ACCNX/ESPN+. Go Bears!