Max Mennemeier

This early-season road trip provided an important test for the Bears, as they faced two tough teams from the Big 12. Despite dropping their first game, the Bears’ victory against Oklahoma marked the end of a successful weekend and kept the squad above the .500 mark.

The Oklahoma series will bring Cal’s first game outside of the Bay Area this season, and while the sheer mileage of the road trip will be a challenge in itself, the Bears will get a perennial postseason contender and a battle-tested squad in the middle of it.

Monday night was only the second time the Bears conceded more than one goal in a game since the final match of the 2016 regular season

reshman Mikayla Coelho led the Bears’ offensive attack in the regionals, batting .571 in seven at-bats to go along with four walks. Coelho’s success culminated in three RBI and three runs scored over the three games.

Cal softball is dancing into the postseason after being selected to play in the NCAA softball championship field. The Bears were awarded one of the 32 available at-large bids in the field of 64 programs that make up college softball’s best.

Cal improved to 7-10 in Pac-12 play and 33-13 overall thanks to six consecutive conference wins in the series against Utah and Stanford. Stanford is now tied for last place in the conference with a 2-16 conference record and is 22-26 overall.

Against last place Utah, Cal softball picked up three important wins to improve its conference record and stay in the postseason hunt.

Both Friday and Saturday’s games were postponed because of Seattle’s dreary weather, so the series was shortened from three games to two, and the games were ultimately scheduled to be played Sunday.

Time and again, Washington has shown why it’s here to stay as college softball’s top program, posting the nation’s best team ERA at 0.85 and eight-highest team batting average at .334.