The Bears split the series between Villanova and Miami Ohio at the DeMarini Invitational, snapping their nine-game winning streak.
Rounding out tournament play, Cal remained local in the Bay Area, competing in the DeMarini Invitational.
The Bears finished the tournament with an even 2-2 record. Their hopes of extending their nine-game win streak into the double digits were crushed, as they dropped their first two games of the weekend, losing 2-4 to Miami (Ohio) 2-4 and 2-6 to Villanova. Nonetheless, the blue and gold bounced back in the final two games, winning 12-11 and 8-0 in their rematches.
The Bears’ offensive mishaps surfaced early in the tournament as they struggled to bring runners home. Cal only managed to accumulate 11 hits, four runs and one home run in its first two outings of the DeMarini Invitational — an uncharacteristic performance, as they averaged seven runs per game before the tournament.
Cal also failed to bat near their season batting average of .321. A set of two subpar matches in the box totaled a batting average of .208 against the RedHawks and Wildcats.
The final two contests showcased a completely different Bears team. The offense combined to score 20 runs off of 27 hits and seven home runs to close the tournament out, sparking a new winning streak. Defense and pitching were also key in Cal’s success, as junior pitcher Haylei Archer bounced back to deliver a dominant mound performance in the Villanova rematch. “I would say really working on my mindset … learning from each pitch and just trusting my stuff, trusting my defense behind me and also knowing that I have great offensive support,” Archer said on bouncing back.
The second matchup against the RedHawks was the Bears’ most remarkable performance of the year, as they rallied back from two four-run deficits. A season-high 17 hits and five unanswered runs in the final three innings sealed a walk-off win for the blue and gold.
The Bears wrapped up the DeMarini Invitational with their home opener against the Villanova Wildcats.
Cal secured their first victory in front of its fans at Levine-Fricke Field in commanding fashion. Three home runs in the first inning by the Bears created a four-run lead, setting the tone for the rest of the match.
Cal tallied four more runs, one of which was a walk-off home run in the fifth inning by freshman D’Auna Johnson, making it her first-ever hit and home run as a Bear.
Following the tournament, Cal faced UC Davis for the second time this season, beating the Aggies 8-5 in eight innings — sweeping the season series.
Davis struck first but went stale until the sixth inning when they scored four unanswered runs to tie the game at 5-5, forcing an eighth inning. Cal closed the game out in extra innings with three runs.
In her last four mound appearances, Archer has allowed only five hits and five runs, tallying 10 strikeouts in the 11 ⅓ innings she has pitched.
Her support on the offensive side has come from the likes of freshman infielder Elon Butler and senior catcher Makena Smith. Butler has provided the Bears with five runs, six hits, six RBIs and three home runs over five games. Smith contributed with four runs, five hits, four RBIs and two home runs in that stretch as well.
With Cal being 3-2 in their last five games and 17-4 overall, they dropped to the fifth spot in the Pac-12.
“I’m really proud of us for how we bounced back. I couldn’t be more proud of the offensive support we’ve gotten,” Archer said. “We’re just really working well as a unit (…) doing the best we can.”
Cal will look to climb the standing as their focus shifts to their first conference opponent of the season, UCLA, on March 10.
Contact Eric Hayrapetian at Eric.hayrapetian@gmail.com
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