Tatum Anzaldo & Cal Softball Determined to Add to `Amazing' Season at NCAAs

Golden Bears open Baton Rouge regional on Friday afternoon against Southern Illinois.

Tatum Anzaldo / Photo by Kelley L. Cox, KLC fotos

Senior Tatum Anzaldo and her Cal softball team have enjoyed a season that makes her proud. On Friday, when the Bears (36-17) take on Southern Illinois (42-9) in their NCAA tournament opener at the Baton Rouge regional, Anzaldo is clear about her mindset.

“We have nothing to lose,” said the Bears’ three-time All-Pac-12 infielder. 

The Bears begin the double-elimination event at 12:30 p.m. PDT Friday, facing the Salukis of the Missouri Valley Conference.

“We know that anyone that’s hosting is supposed to win,” Anzaldo said, referencing the No. 9 seed Tigers, who are hosting this weekend. “Our eyes aren’t necessarily on LSU right now — we want them to be on Sunday. On Friday, our eyes are straight on Southern Illinois and everything they have to offer. They have a great pitcher.”

Cal is 3-0 all-time vs. SIU, but will have to tangle with freshman left-hander Maddia Groff, who pitched a perfect game in her college debut, with her twin sister Rylinn as her catcher, and has assembled a 29-3 record and an 0.81 earned run with 239 strikeouts in 206.1 innings.

The Bears counter with a power-driven squad that leads the Pac-12 with 77 home runs and a program-record 83 doubles. They were held without an extra-base hit in their opening-round 4-2 loss to Stanford last week at the Pac-12 tournament.

“It’s a tough road ahead, but the road ahead is not impossible,” Anzaldo said. “There is an opportunity to do really great things with a really great team. This team doesn’t necessarily know what they’re capable of. We’ve been told it all year: You guys are great, you can beat anybody. And we’ve proven it. 

“Now, when push comes to shove and there’s close games and we’re not hitting the long ball like we’re used to or winning by six or seven runs, we need to hold a one-run lead. That’s all we’ve worked on the past few days, trust me.”

Anzaldo is the answer to a lot of questions with Cal’s offense. While she has just four of those 77 home runs, she is among the Pac-12 leaders in a range of categories: Fifth in batting average (.408), fifth in runs scored (46), third in doubles (13), fourth in hits (69), fourth in stolen bases (19) and fifth in on-base percentage (.482).

She has struck out just 14 times in 198 plate appearances and never grounded into a double play all season. And she’s enjoying an extended hot streak, hitting .489 over the last 25 games, with at least one hit in 27 of the last 31 games.

She said returning for a fifth season and helping her team to a second straight NCAA bid has been “absolute dream come true . . . everything I wanted it to be. It’s been amazing.”

“I knew I had a lot of stones that I left unturned my fourth year,” Anzaldo said. “I’ve never really been one to toot my own horn but in a moment like this when I don’t really know what’s next, besides Baton Rouge, yeah, I’m extremely proud of myself.”

Even more satisfying than becoming Cal’s first three-time all-conference selection in 11 years was landing a spot on the Pac-12 All-Defensive Team. Anzaldo says her natural position is shortstop, but she has been asked to play primarily third base this season, with occasional stints in the outfield.

“All-defensive team has been a goal for five years now. I’m sure that sounds dumb to some, but it was what I was more proud of than the first-team all-conference,” she said. 

She said that showing versatility on defense has taught her the lesson to embrace playing where she’s needed.

“I think I’m right where the team needs me to me,” Anzaldo said. “I’m seeing the ball well, which I shouldn’t say out loud. I’m fielding the ball well. It’s postseason, it’s right where you want to peak.”

REGIONAL FORMAT: Friday’s Cal-SIU winner advances to a Saturday 10 a.m. PDT matchup against the winner of Friday’s second game between LSU (40-15) and Jackson State (33-17). Friday’s two losing teams face off in an elimination game Saturday at 12:30 p.m. PDT before the loser of Saturday’s first game plays the loser of the second game at 3 p.m.

The winner of Saturday’s third game faces the winner of the day’s first game on Sunday at 11 a.m., with a second game set for 1:30 p.m., if needed.