Top-seeded California Comes Back for 2-1 Win

Lincoln --- Top-seeded California scored the winning run in the bottom of the sixth inning to come back from a 1-0 first-inning deficit for a 2-1 win over fourth-seeded Mississippi State in Friday's third game of the NCAA Regional at Bowlin Stadium.

With the victory, California improved to 48-11 on the season and advanced to Saturday's noon semifinal game against the hosts from Nebraska (44-15), which moved on to the semifinals with a 2-0 win over Creighton in Friday's second game.

Mississippi State fell to 39-25 on the year and slipped into the loser's bracket for an elimination game with Florida Atlantic (55-17) to start at 6 p.m.

The Bulldogs struck quickly against Bears starter Kelly Anderson, scoring a run before Anderson exited the game with the bases loaded and nobody out in the top of the first inning. Iyhia McMichael started the rally with an infield single, before Anderson hit Kate Jaspers and walked Jennifer Waterman to load the bases. After a bases loaded walk to Blaire Brown scored McMichael with the game's first run, Anderson was relieved by Kristina Thorson, who pitched out of the bases loaded jam by getting Lindsay Nelson to pop out to third, before striking out Tanelda McDonald and Callye Williams to end the threat.

Thorson was nearly perfect the rest of the way, allowing just one hit and one walk in seven innings of relief to improve to 25-3 on the year. Thorson has pitched 14 scoreless innings in California's first two NCAA Regional games with 15 strikeouts and just three hits allowed.

The Bears provided Thorson with the game-tying run in the bottom of the third inning, after Vicky Galindo singled to left with one out and advanced to second on Lindsay James' sacrifice. Galindo scored an unearned run when Haley Woods reached on an error by Mississippi State second baseman Lindsay Nelson.

Mississippi State starter Kelli Miller got out of the jam in the third inning without further damage, but the Bears struck again in the sixth inning, as Woods led off with a single to right and pinch runner Jessica Vernaglia advanced to second on Kaleo Eldredge's sacrifice. Vernaglia moved to third on Jessica Pamanian's groundout to third base and scored on Chelsea Spencer's two-out double to left-center for the winning run.

Miller slipped to 11-10 on the season despite pitching six solid innings and allowing just six hits and one earned run. She did not issue a walk and had no strikeouts.

Notes
Mississippi State's Iyhia McMichael started the game with a leadoff walk to reach base at least once for the 40th consecutive game...she has reached base safely in 63 of MSU's 64 games this season...McMichael, who scored Mississippi State's first run, is hitting better than .480 on the season and owns an on-base percentage above .600.

Mississippi State took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning and had won 10 of its last 11 contests in which it had scored the opening run. The Bulldogs gave up the tying run in the third inning and the winning run in the bottom of the sixth inning. The Bulldogs are 20-9 on the season when scoring the game's first run.

Kristina Thorson, So., RHP, California...14 scoreless innings in 2004 NCAA Regional...allowed just three hits, one walk, 15 strikeouts.
Vicky Galindo, Jr., 3B, California...hitting .500 (3-6) in 2004 NCAA Regional with one homer, two runs scored and one RBI.
Kaleo Eldredge, Jr., CF, California...hitting .500 (2-4) in 2004 NCAA Regional with one RBI, one run scored and one stolen base.
Chelsea Spencer, Jr., SS, California...hitting .400 (2-5) in 2004 NCAA Regional with one double and two RBIs.
Lindsay James, So., LF, California...hitting .400 (2-5) in 2004 NCAA Regional with one run scored