Box Score

DAVIS, Calif. - UC Davis scored nine combined runs throughout the first two innings, starting pitcher Leah Munden gave up only four hits, right-handed reliever Justine Vela struckout four of six batters faced and Kelly Zboralske recorded a team-high three RBI to help the Aggies defeat Pacific in Tuesday's 2015 home opener at La Rue Field by a 10-1 score in five innings.

Softball snapped its four-game losing streak against the Tigers, picked up its first head-to-head win since April 10, 2013, and will now enter this weekend's Fresno State Tournament with a 2-4 overall record. The Tigers will enter their next tournament, this weekend at Stanford, with the same overall mark.

By topping Pacific, UC Davis posted a 'W' in its inaugural home game for the first time since the 2011 season and pushed its overall record in home openers, since joining the Big West Conference, to 5-3.

"I think we were nervous to pick up our first win (last weekend in Vegas), but once we did, everyone started to relax and play aggressively like we did today," said head coach Erin Thorpe.

UC Davis nearly batted through its lineup in the opening inning when eight Aggies took their hacks against Pacific starter Carly Mortensen. Softball wasted no time in scoring the game's first run when Christa Castello, who hit at the No. 2 spot in head coach Erin Thorpe's lineup, drove in Krista Bava with a double to the gap in left center, allowing her teammate to score.

Bava reached base on an inning-opening base on balls, one of three walks earned throughout the day.

Alexis Carney soon joined Castello when she was hit in the leg by a pitch, then stole second to place herself in scoring position.

A single from Christina Guidry allowed Castello to score from third; advancing to third on the play was Carney.

Heads-up baserunning allowed the Aggies to score their next run when Carney dashed home on Guidry's attempt to steal second. Once Pacific catcher Jessica Pasco threw across the diamond in an attempt to nab Guidry, Carney sprinted home once the ball flew over Mortensen's head. With Guidry safe at second, the Tigers had zero shot of catching Carney and watched her score from third without forcing a throw to the plate.

Zboralske, who witnessed the double steal from the best spot at La Rue Field - the batter's box since she was at-bat when everything took place - then drove Guidry home with a single that split Pacific's shortstop and second baseman.

By posting four runs early, UC Davis chased Mortensen out of the circle with only one out recorded.

Pacific pitcher Marissa Young fared no better than her teammate and was responsible for giving up the Aggies' next six runs - five in the second and another in the third, all earned - to give UC Davis a 10-1 lead through three innings.

After Bava drew another free pass in the second inning, Castello reached base on a textbook bunt that rolled down the line towards first, but came to a dead stop in fair territory, right next to the line, 20 feet away from the dish.

Carney' single to center drove in Bava, who, like Castello and Guidry, scored on two occasions throughout the afternoon. After Amy Nunez reached base on a fielder's choice, Zboralske drove in another two runs by ripping a shot to left field.

Ashley Lotoszynski, the very next batter, doubled to left center which allowed Guidry, who was hit by a pitch, and Zboralske to score the inning's final runs.

A bases-loaded walk in the third, drawn by Carney, forced her team's final run across the plate and extended UC Davis' lead to a commanding nine-run margin.

It was then when Vela entered the game and recorded the final six outs to give the Aggies their second victory within the last three days.

Action at the Fresno State Kick-Off will start on Friday, Feb. 13, when the Aggies face Causeway rival Sacramento State and California at 9 and 11:15 a.m. The tournament will continue on Saturday with another game against California (9 a.m.) before ending with a matchup against Fresno State (6 p.m.) that evening. UC Davis' tournament finale is slated for Sunday against Santa Clara (11:15 a.m.).

Including this weekend's schedule at the Kick-Off, softball will play its next 11 straight games on the road before returning to La Rue Field on March 4 to face Stanford.

UC Davis 10, Pacific 1 (F/5)

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Pacific................ 010 00 - 1 6 1 (2-4)
UC Davis............ 451 0X - 10 8 2 (2-4)

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Pitchers: Pacific - MORTENSEN, Carly; YOUNG, Marissa (1); WALTERS, Megan (4) and PASCO, Jessica.

UC Davis - Munden, Leah; Vela, Justine (4) and Robertson, Katie; Saunders, Lauryn.

Win-Munden, Leah (1-1) Loss-MORTENSEN, Carly (0-1) T-1:41 A-183

Weather: 59 degrees, partly cloudy