May 8, 2010

Game 1
Game 2

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. - The UC Davis softball team kept its hold on first-place in the Big West Conference with a doubleheader sweep at Cal Poly Saturday afternoon at Bob Janssen Field. The Aggies posted a 4-3 victory in game one before winning the second game, 7-3. The victories extended the team's winning streak to six and, more importantly, improved it to 13-4 in the Big West. UC Davis leads second-place Cal State Northridge by one game and opened up a three-game cushion on Cal Poly with four games left in the season.

It was a true team effort for the Aggies as they banged out 23 hits in the doubleheader. Alex Holmes continued to wield a hot bat by going 5-for-8 on the day. She also added a save and a complete-game victory in the circle. Holmes and Elizabeth Santana each extended their hitting streaks to nine games. Heather Zimmerman drove in three runs and was joined by Kylie Fan and Marissa Araujo with at least one RBI in both games. UC Davis has now won 11 of its past 13 games and is 24-25 overall.

The Aggies seized early control of the first game with three runs in the top of the third. Santana led off with a walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice by Jessica Gonzalez. Holmes then singled to put runners on first and third. With two outs, Fan singled to drive in Santana to make it 1-0. Zimmerman followed with a two-run double to up the lead to 3-0.

In the fifth, Holmes led off with a double. Michelle Espiritu pinch-ran and advanced to third on a sacrifice by Sarah Axelson. A walk to Fan was followed by a pop-up by Zimmerman, but Araujo delivered yet another timely two-out hit with an RBI-single to make it 4-0.

Cal Poly (21-22, 10-7 Big West) nearly overcame the deficit late in the game. After scoring an unearned run in the sixth, the first four Mustangs reached base in the bottom of the seventh as the result of a single, an error and two more singles. The final single in the sequence cut the lead to 4-2, and the bases were still loaded with no outs.

Holmes then relieved Dana Waldusky and gave up a sacrifice fly for the first out of the inning. That run pulled Cal Poly within 4-3. A walk loaded the bases once again, but Holmes retired Krysten Cary on a game-ending double play.

Waldusky pitched six innings-plus and did not allow an earned run. She gave up six hits with one strikeout and picked up her 10th win of the season. Holmes secured her second save.

In the second game, the Aggies scored four runs in the second inning. Fan started it with a single. Espiritu pinch ran and advanced to second on a Zimmerman sacrifice. Araujo followed with an RBI-double to put UC Davis on top 1-0. Kelly Harman singled to put runners at first and third. With two outs, Santana delivered a two-run triple to make it 3-0. Gonzalez then singled to drive in Santana with the fourth run.

Cal Poly scored a run in the sixth, but the Aggies countered with three more in the seventh. Fan and Harman each had run-scoring singles sandwiched around an RBI-groundout by Zimmerman. The Mustangs added two more runs in the seventh but could not get any closer.

Holmes allowed three runs on six hits with six strikeouts and improved to 14-8 on the year.

UC Davis will seek its second consecutive series sweep Sunday when it takes on Cal Poly at noon.