Makena Smith

The Bears have been a team that has shown the ability to fight their way back into games, but a five-run first inning by the Utes was the beginning of the end for Cal.

The sixth-ranked Bears are set to play the third-ranked Utah Utes in the quarterfinals of the first annual Pac-12 softball tournament.

Despite being on the tail end of its second series sweep to Oregon, Cal manages to still have positive takeaways.

Cal heads to Palo Alto for a three-game series against the No. 8 Stanford Cardinal, which begins Friday.

With multiple Pac-12 honors and dominant statistics, the Vipers are getting a seasoned and talented athlete in Smith — and Cal has produced yet another “Pro Bear.”

Before it takes a brief Pac-12 intermission, Cal must face another immediate challenge against the third-ranked Pac-12 team, Washington.

A three-game road trip against the Beavers, where the series ended in a tie at 1-1-1, dropped the Bears one spot in the rankings, from fifth to sixth in the conference. The matchup against Fresno State, however, showcased a shutout by the Bears as they went on to win 3-0.

Cal looks to climb Pac-12 standings over the weekend, as it is set to play Oregon State University in a three-game series.

The Bears split the series between Villanova and Miami Ohio at the DeMarini Invitational, snapping their nine-game winning streak.

Softball in Berkeley has been the real deal to begin the year. The blue and gold have stacked up wins against every team they’ve faced and are yet to play a game on their home field.