No. 6 Washington Beats Bears, 8-4

SEATTLE - California scored in the first inning and led twice, but the Golden Bears' softball team lost to No. 6 Washington, 8-4, in Game 1 of Friday's doubleheader from Husky Softball Stadium.

Cal fell to 12-9, 1-4 on the year. 

Makena Smith singled twice and scored three times. The top of the batting order produced for the Bears as Smith, Lauren Espalin and Mikayla Coelho combined for six hits, going 6-for-11 in the game with four runs scored and three RBI. 

In the first inning, following a walk to Smith and an Espalin single, D'Asha Saiki knocked in Smith with a two-out infield single to put Cal up, 1-0.

Washington tied the game in the bottom of the first without getting a hit. A couple of walks and an error allowed a Husky sacrifice fly to even the game at 1. 

Smith scored her second run of the game in the third, giving Cal a 2-1 lead. After Smith singled to start the frame, an error moved her over to second. Coelho then  slapped a single to left that brought Smith home. 

Washington took the lead in the bottom of the third. A walk and a single set the table for a three-run home run to put the Huskies up, 4-2. UW broke the game open in the bottom of the fourth. After an RBI single increased the Huskies' lead to 5-2, a two-run homer put Washington up by five at 7-2. An RBI double followed to make it 8-2, Washington. 

Cal clawed its way back into the game in the fifth. Smith singled and advanced to second on a wild pitch. She scored on Espalin's RBI single. Coelho then doubled to left-center, scoring Espalin and cutting the Husky lead down to 8-4. 

Sona Halajian suffered the loss, falling to 1-6 on the year. Chloe Romero entered the game in relief in the fourth. 

Game 2 will count as a non-conference game.