Cal Softball: Top-Ranked Oklahoma Shuts Out Golden Bears in Hawaii, 8-0

Cal’s perfect week in Hawaii hit a bump in the road with an 8-0 shutout loss to No. 1 Oklahoma on Friday evening.

The Bears (18-7) won their first three games at the Rainbow Wahine Classic in Honolulu, including an 8-5 victory over Baylor in eight innings earlier Friday.

But the headliner of the four-day event for Cal was the chance to take on the defending national champion Sooners. Oklahoma has won three NCAA titles since 2016 and last year set numerous national records, including most home runs in a season, on the way to a final record of 56-4.

The Sooners (19-0) scored a run in the first inning, two in the second and five in the third. Oklahoma’s 8-0 lead after Cal’s at-bat in the top of the fifth ended the game.

The Bears managed just three hits off freshman Jordy Bahl (8-0), who struck out six and walked on. Leadoff hitter Tatum Anzaldo had two hits for Cal, boosting her season batting average to .434. Makena Smith was 1-for-2 and is batting .529.

The Bears, who play Hawaii on Saturday in the tournament finale, got a three-run homer and four RBIs from Smith in Friday’s early game against Baylor.

Smith’s run production gave the Bears a 4-0 lead after the top of the fifth, but Baylor rebounded with four runs in the bottom of the inning to knot the score.

D’Asha Saiki, Candace Yingling, Amari Bradley and Anzaldo drove in runs in the top of the eighth to push Cal into an 8-4 lead. Sona Halajian allowed one run in the bottom of the inning but closed out a complete game with nine strikeouts.

Later Friday night, Oklahoma beat Hawaii 11-0 in a game highlighted by senior Jocelyn Alo hitting her 96th career home run to set the all-time NCAA record. And she did 30 miles from her hometown in Hauula, Hawaii.

Cover photo of Makena Smith by Peter Fukumae

Follow Jeff Faraudo of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jefffaraudo