Posted on: Saturday, May 29, 2004

Defending champ UCLA, Cal win in World Series

Associated Press

OKLAHOMA CITY — Vicky Galindo scored on a throwing error in the bottom of the eighth inning last night as California beat Oklahoma, 2-1, to advance in the NCAA Women's College World Series.

Earlier yesterday, Keira Goerl threw a four-hitter, helping defending champion UCLA advance with a 2-0 win over LSU.

Galindo drew a leadoff walk and moved to second on a bunt single by Lindsay James. Both runners advanced when Haley Woods reached on a fielding error by Oklahoma third baseman Norrelle Dickson, and Galindo scored when Sooners center fielder Kristin Vesely made a wild throw after catching a line drive by 2001 Baldwin High graduate Kaleo Eldredge.

Galindo had retreated to third base on Eldredge's line drive, but scored when Vesely's throw went over the head of second baseman April Valdez and ended up down the first-base line.

Cal led 1-0 on a homer by Galindo in the third inning. Oklahoma tied it in the fifth when catcher Woods tried to pick off Oklahoma's Jade Prather at second. Woods' throw went into center field, allowing Vesely to score from third.

Goerl (29-7), who threw a no-hitter in the championship game last year, was backed by first-inning RBI singles from Steph Ramos and Jodie Lesaspi.

UCLA (45-9) and Cal (52-11) will be off until tomorrow, when they will face teams that emerge from today's four loser's bracket games.

LSU (55-11) will play the winner of an elimination game between Washington (40-18) and Florida State (61-11), while Oklahoma (45-21-1) awaits either Michigan (54-12) or Stanford (47-18).