Mara Rudolph, Assistant Athletic Communications Director
TEMPE, Ariz. – It took Cheyenne Cordes only two at-bats to thump Cal’s first homer of the season, and the Bears piled on seven more runs for an 8-2 victory over New Mexico and the team’s first victory of the season. Cal is now 34-9 in season openers after beating the Lobos Friday afternoon at the Kajikawa Classic.
Eight Bears logged a hit in Friday’s game, including five players with two hits apiece. Senior Victoria Jones knocked in a team-leading three RBI, going 2-for-3, while junior Cordes went 2-for-3 with two RBI after her home run. Senior Jordan Wallace and sophomore Jasmin Mejia each posted an RBI.
Sophomore Nisa Ontiveros earned her first win, allowing five hits and two runs. Ontiveros struck out two in her five-inning effort before freshman Katie Sutherland-Finch pitched the final two innings, fanning one and allowing three hits. Lisa Rodrigues suffered the loss for the Lobos, allowing 11 hits while striking out five and walking four.
In just her sixth career start, senior LaRisa Jones got Cal’s bats going with a single before Cordes, Henderson and Mejia all drew walks, sending L. Jones to home plate. V. Jones struck a liner to drive in another two runs from Cordes and Henderson before the end of the inning.
The Bears added four to their score at the top of the third, starting with another single by L. Jones before Cordes jammed a homer to make the score 5-0. Henderson added another single, moving to third after Mejia reached on a fielding error. A sac fly by V. Jones sent Henderson across, and another error by the Lobos proved once again beneficial to Mejia as she ran home on an error by the shortstop.
New Mexico cut Cal’s seven-run lead to 7-1 at the bottom of the fourth with a home run to center field.
Cal answered with another run at the top of the fifth, starting with a single and a stolen base from V. Jones. A double by Wallace sent V. Jones home.
The back-and-forth continued into the bottom of the fifth as the Lobos got a rally going, finally scoring when Brandi Heimburg ran home on a wild pitch for the 7-2 final total.
Cal is back on the diamond Saturday for a doubleheader vs. Creighton and Bradley beginning at 8 a.m. PT.
