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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted on: Wednesday, June 1, 2005

HOMEGROWN REPORT
Eldredge 4 for 4 in World Series

 •  Ka'aihue homers twice in 13-12 loss

By Leila Wai
Advertiser Staff Writer

California-Berkeley senior center fielder Kaleo Eldredge is playing in her fourth and final NCAA Women's College World Series, beginning tomorrow at Oklahoma City, Okla.

Cal's Kaleo Eldredge, whose team lost to UCLA in the past two World Series championship games, hopes to avenge the losses tomorrow.

University of California

"It feels good to make it four years in a row," she said. "It (clinching a berth) was a lot longer than normal."

This year's NCAA Tournament included a Regional and Super Regional, instead of a single regional qualifying tournament like previous years.

The Bears play two-time defending champion UCLA tomorrow. The game is scheduled to be televised on ESPN2 at 9:30 a.m.

Cal beat Baylor two games to one in the Super Regional last weekend, winning 7-1 in the championship game Saturday after losing 4-1 earlier that day.

"When we dropped to Baylor, it was just a bad first game, but we all came back. Right before, our coach talked to us and told us to flush it out," Eldredge said. "We did it against Fresno, we can do it again. We were out there laughing and dancing and having fun."

Eldredge hit a two-run double in the first inning of the final game to help the Bears clinch their seventh consecutive CWS berth. In the three-game Super Regional, Eldredge batted 2 for 11 with three runs and two RBIs.

Cal also defeated Baylor, 9-0, Friday.

The Bears have played UCLA in the past two NCAA title games with the Bruins winning back-to-back NCAA titles.

This season, Cal has a 2-1 advantage.

"I think the positive side is that we played them three times and we know what they've got, but they know what we have," Eldredge said.

Eldredge, who helped Cal capture the national title in 2002 as a freshman, said "after the first experience, I was hoping it would be all four years."

Her parents, Keith and Karen, have been on the Mainland watching her games since her final regular-season home games in the middle of May, making the trips to Fresno, Calif., Waco, Texas, and now Oklahoma City.

"It's good, because they don't get to really watch me during all the other years, except certain tournaments," she said. "I think they're having fun watching all the softball games.

"It's wonderful because they are always telling me how proud they are of me, so it makes me happy."

Reach Leila Wai at lwai@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2457.