Cal Loses Its Opener in NCAA Softball Regional

Cal played its first postseason softball game in five years on Friday, but it was not a pleasant experience as the Golden Bears lost to Missouri 5-1 in their opening game in the Norman, Okla. Regional of the NCAA softball tournament.

Cal (33-20-1) now must beat Hofstra in an elimination game at 2:30 p.m. Pacific time on Saturday to avoid elimination in this four-team, double-elimination Regional.

Missouri (35-24) finished last in the Southeastern Conference but it controlled the game against Cal, and the Tigers will now take on top-ranked Oklahoma, which improved to 52-1 while recording its 44th consecutive victory with an 11-0, five-inning win over Hofstra in the first game Friday.

Sona Halajarian was the starting pitcher for Cal and she got off to a shaky start as Missouri scored all the runs it needed before she recorded a single out.

Missouri leadoff hitter Jenna Laird, who went 4-for-4, started the top of the first with a single, and Alex Honnold followed with two-run homer, giving the Tigers a two-run lead after two batters.

Tatum Anzaldo led off the bottom of the first inning with a home run for Cal, cutting the deficit to 2-1. But that would be the only run Cal would score against Missouri pitcher Lauren Krings, who pitched a complete game, allowing just four hits and no more runs.

Missouri's Kara Daly added an RBI single in the third inning to make it 3-1, and the Tigers put the game out of reach by scoring two insurance runs in the top of the seventh.

Cal now faces the challenge of having to win four games in a row to win this Regional, and that would include two wins on Saturday and two more on Sunday. The Bears might have to beat the powerful Sooners twice on Sunday to be one of the 16 teams to advance to the Super Regionals in this 64-team tournament.

Follow Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jakecurtis53

Find Cal Sports Report on Facebook by going to https://www.facebook.com/si.calsportsreport

Add us as a preferred source on Google