BERKELEY, Calif. — Saint Mary's Softball (11-6) saw their first ranked opponent of 2024, heading to Berkeley to take on the Cal Bear (20-2). The Gaels fought tooth and nail to hang with the 15th ranked team in the country, showing grit and fortitude in the process, however, when the dust all settled, it was the Bears on top 7-1. 

Cal struck for a pair in the first, but the Gaels responded with one in the third, as Victoria Castillo scored on a delayed double steal play. The Bears, however, would keep the pedal to the metal, plating two more in the third, an additional two in the fifth and one final insurance run in the sixth. The Gaels would put runners on in every inning, oftentimes advancing them into scoring position, but were unable to cash in against the clutch Cal pitching staff. 

Hannah Ferguson logged her eighth multi-hit game of the season, with a pair of singles. Tori Cervantes, Taylor Lane, Angelina Franco and Alex Cutonilli all also logged a single each to account for the Gaels six hits. 

Mia Nishikawa earned the start in the circle, tossing one inning, surrendering a pair of solo shots. Odhi Vasquez came out of the pen to work an inning and a third, also surrendering two runs, while Avrey Wolverton closed out the game, going the final 3.2 innings, surrendering three runs. The play of the game for the Gaels came in the bottom of the fifth, when Camille Lara showed she is more than just a speedy outfielder, but rather that she has a cannon as well, throwing a dart to catcher Angelina Franco to erase a Cal runner at the plate.

The Gaels now head to SoCal, where they will face off with CSUN on Thursday before a three game set with UC Riverside over Friday and Saturday. 

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