BERKELEY, Calif. — A four-run California seventh inning broke open a one-run game as the Bears beat BYU 11-1 in Berkeley on Thursday.
The Bears struck first in the second inning. After first baseman James Holder led off the inning with a double, Brennan Boesch hit a two-run home run over the left field fence.
Left fielder Kory Knell gained a Cougar run in the third after being hit by a pitch and advanced home on a sacrifice fly by Tim Law with the bases loaded.
The score remained 2-1 into the bottom of the seventh inning, when the Bears broke the game wide open with four runs off three doubles. Boesch, who went 3-for-3 in the game with four RBI, led off the inning with a walk. He would later score on an RBI double by David Weiner.
With two outs, an error by BYU third baseman Rob Itri kept the inning alive for Cal. Weiner scored on the play, and the Bears went on to hit two consecutive doubles to finish the inning leading 6-1.
Cal continued to increase its lead in the eighth inning, adding five more runs. Boesch hit his second two-run home run of the game. Weiner followed with a two-run home run of his own. A solo shot to left field by Horwitz gave the Bears an 11-1 lead.
Cal's starting pitcher Matt Brown picked up his first win of the season. He allowed one run on five hits while striking out one Cougar in six innings. Mike Padgett earned the save for the Bears, holding BYU scoreless in three innings of work.
BYU starter Paul Jacinto received the loss but pitched well for the Cougars, allowing three earned runs in six and two-thirds innings. He finished the game with four strikeouts.
The same two teams match up again on Friday at 2:30 p.m. MST and Saturday at 1 p.m. MST