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Sophomore Tenea Golson - MenloOaksSports.com
Softball - Thu, Apr 1, 2010
ATHERTON, Calif. - Menlo College made up for a slow start to the day by shutting out St. Catherine in the second game of a doubleheader to earn a split in non-conference action Thursday at Wunderlich Field.
 

The Oaks won the nightcap 5-0 after losing the opener 7-3. Menlo is now 6-22 overall - 1-7 in the California Pacific Conference - and gets to enjoy a break from competition before returning to Cal Pac play versus William Jessup on April 9. St. Catherine is 2-7 overall.

 

Reigning Cal Pac Pitcher of the Week Jessica Cobb was excellent in the circle, leading Menlo to the win in game two. Cobb pitched a complete-game three-hitter, striking out five and walking two. The Oaks offense manufactured runs in the third, fourth, and fifth innings to give Cobb all the support she would need.

 

It was a scoreless game entering the bottom of the third inning. Tenea Golson led off with a ground ball that St. Catherine's Kelsey Adair couldn't field. After Golson moved to second base on a passed ball, Nadia Le'i followed by dropping down a sacrifice bunt that pitcher Morgan Bohmbach threw away, allowing Le'i to reach safely as Golson advanced to third.

 

On the first pitch to the next batter, Adriana Garcia, Le'i stole second base, drawing a throw from catcher Katie Allen that allowed Golson to score the game's first run. The Oaks offense stalled until the next inning.

 

Cobb cruised through the top half of the fourth inning before the Menlo bats went back to work. Angela Woerz was hit by a pitch to start the at bat and moved to second base on a wild pick-off attempt by Allen. Jamie Pauley and Amanda Vegas were retired in succession, but Joedee Lovell picked them up when she lined a two-out double to left-center field to plate Woerz and double the Oaks advantage.

 

Menlo broke the game open in the fifth inning, scoring three times for the final margin. Le'i earned a leadoff walk and then Garcia reached on a bunt single. Ululani Reyes sacrificed the runners to second and third before Serina Stephens loaded the bases with a walk.

 

Pauley drew another walk with two down to push Le'i across with the Oaks third run of the game. Vegas followed with a pop-up to center field that shortstop Jenna Clark couldn't hold onto as Garcia and Stephens each raced across home plate for a 5-0 Menlo cushion.

 

Cobb coasted through the final two innings, allowing just one base runner as she closed the game out. Menlo totaled three hits in the game, but took advantage of four Wildcats errors.

 

In the opener, St. Catherine exploded for four runs on five hits in the sixth inning, opening up a tight ballgame to jump in front 7-2. The Oaks answered with a run in the bottom half of the inning, but stranded two runners in each of the final two innings.

 

The Wildcats scored twice in the third inning and once in the fourth for a 3-0 cushion heading into the Oaks fourth at bat. That's when Menlo started to make some noise.

 

Reyes blooped a single down the right field line to start the inning and was sacrificed into scoring position by Woerz. With two down, Vegas smoked a double to left field, driving Reyes in with the Oaks initial run. Back-to-back errors by Wildcats shortstop Heidi Sande filled the bases for Golson, who stroked a single to center field that plated Vegas.

 

Menlo was within one run and the bases remained juiced, but Le'i grounded out to first base to end the threat. The Oaks were retired in order in the fifth inning.

 

Golson finished the game 2-for-3 with two RBI's. Mikayela Viramontes took the loss for Menlo, allowing seven runs on 11 hits over seven innings.