Feb. 24, 2006

Box Score

Palm Springs, Calif. - The Pacific softball team began Palm Springs Classic tournament play with a 4-2 victory over the University of Illinois-Chicago on Friday, February 24. With the win, the Tigers improved to 4-6 overall while the Flames dropped to 2-4 on the season.

The Tigers began the day slowly, missing a few opportunities to get on the board in the early innings. Even with the start, Pacific continued to plug away, taking advantage of a UIC miscue in the top of the third inning to capture its first lead of the game. After a dropped pop up allowed junior Jennifer Curtier (Lancaster, Calif.) to reach second with two outs, senior Kristen Allen (Citrus Heights, Calif.) delivered a roped single through the left side that drove in Curtier.

A Pacific error in the bottom half of the inning knotted the score at one, putting Pacific back to square one. After threatening in the fourth, Pacific came out swinging in the fifth, knocking back-to-back-to-back singles to start the inning, beginning with senior Brittany Hyams (Huntington Beach, Calif.). A walk and another single later by freshman Lauren Weyman (Carlsbad, Calif.) and the Tigers had a three run lead that they would use to capture their first victory at the Classic.

Freshman Briana Santos (Garden Grove, Calif.) returned to the circle to pick up the win for the Tigers after sitting out the past week due to injury. Santos went seven innings, relinquishing seven hits and two runs, both unearned as Pacific committed four errors in the game, while striking out six. Three Tigers posted two hits in the game led by Allen and Weyman who each knocked in two runs on the day.

The Flames were led by their left fielder, Brittany Dixon, who went 2-for-3 on the day and scored both runs. In the circle, Mercedes Lovato picked up the loss as she gave up three runs in the fourth inning, retiring no outs in relief for Kelly Cross. Cross finished with seven innings pitched giving up five hits, one run, which was not earned, and striking out seven.