East Carolina University
Cal
Softball Knocks Off No. 6 Cal
March 26, 2006 | Softball
March 26, 2006
GREENVILLE, N.C. --- East Carolina earned its first-ever win over a top 10 team by defeating No. 6 California here Sunday, 8-3.
Against Cal (28-3), East Carolina scored all eight of its runs off home runs. ECU hit three home runs in the game touching up Cal starter Lauren Frankiewicz (9-1) for 10 hits.
Trailing 1-0 heading into the third inning, the Pirates (22-15) seized their first lead of the game as freshman Jessica Johnson hit a two-run homer off the foul pole in left field, scoring senior Krista Jessup, who reached one a one-out single through the left side.
The Bears then tied the game in the bottom half of the third as Kaite Vickers was hit by a pitch with the bases load.
With the game tied with two outs in the fifth, Johnson beat the shortstop's throw to second base for a force out to put two runners on base and bring sophomore Paige Baggett to the plate. Baggett then crushed the ball over the center field fence giving, ECU a 5-2 advantage.
Baggett collected three hits off the Golden Bear starter, driving in three and runs and scoring.
ECU starter Stephanie Hayes (4-0) pitched the first four innings and surrender just two hits before being lifted in favor of senior Brently Bridgeforth at the start of the fifth.
After giving up a solo home run to catcher Haley Woods, Bridgeforth got Vickers to line into an inning-ending double play and preserved the lead.
Junior Keli Harrell was brought in to pitch at the start of the sixth. Although she was tagged for two hits in the frame, she was resilient and induced three ground ball outs to keep the Bears off the scoreboard.
ECU then extended its lead to 8-3 in the seventh as Alison Monce blasted Frankiewicz's offering over left field wall with two runners on base. Baggett extended the inning with a two-single to bring Monce to the plate after junior Jessica Potter singled with one out.
With Cal down to its final at-bat, Harrell retired the first two batters she faced and then got Vickers to fly out to left field to end the game, earning her second save of the season.
The win marked the Pirates' first-ever win over a top 10 team and first over a PAC-10 opponent.
