BERKELEY, Calif. – Utah Softball suffered another setback this afternoon, losing a second-straight game at Cal, 7-1.
The Utes have managed just five hits in two games against the Golden Bear pitchers. Today, Zoe Conley threw a complete game and struck out seven to earn her 12
th win of the season
Utah started by getting a leadoff walk from
Julia Noskin and a Cal error on a
Kelly Martinez grounder put a pair on base. A fly ball to right allowed Noskin to take 3rd and another error brought her home for an early 1-0 lead. Unfortunately, that was all the offense the Utes could muster.
Jazzmyn Jackson singled to open the game and Cal added a pair of infield hits to load the bases. Lauren Espalin collected the fourth hit of the inning by singling up the middle to put her side in front, 2-1.
The Utes had a chance to even the score in the third when
Ryley Ball singled and was bunted up to second by Noskin. However, Conley induced a pair of fly balls to right to keep her side ahead.
Cameron Kondo led off the fourth with a single and moved up on a ground ball. She reached third despite Utah's best efforts on another grounder but the Utes got another chance to retire her during the next at-bat. A ground ball to short resulted in a force attempt at the plate and
Kelly Martinez applied the tag.
Heather Bowen snagged a liner with runners on base to keep it a one-run game.
Cal finally broke it open in the fifth. A pair of runners reached on first-pitch singles and they came around to score on Espalin's two-run triple to right. One batter later, Kondo doubled, bringing in another run and three hitters later, Jackson's extra base hit brought in two more for a 7-1 lead.
Cal and Utah close their three-game Pac-12 series tomorrow at noon PT
Â