I checked out the stats of the two teams and the hitting is quite comparable. Cal steals more bases. I would think any edge the Bears possess might come from our pitching staff. As I recall, the ball really carries in Salt Lake City at altitude.
https://utahutes.com/documents/2019/2/9/2019_Utah_Stats.pdf?path=softball

Cal is facing Hailey Hilburn with a 5.19 ERA. She is ranked fourth on their staff in terms of ERA. The Bears are going with Zoe Conley who has the highest ERA among four starters. This matchup is a bit of a head scratcher.

Can someone tell me step-by-step how to obtain the video feed please? These three games are supposed to be televised but my comcast broadband doesn't seem to pick it up. Is it my Internet Explorer browser 11 that is the problem. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you. GO BEARS!

Hi S71- you should be able to access the live stream here:

https://pac-12.com/live/university-utah

Cal up 2-0 after 1 inning. Coehlo has a nice double to LF to score 2 runs.

Cal got out of a jam with the bases loaded with a very lucky bounce- off Conley's glove- to Rood. Rood cleanly fielded the ball and shot it over to 2b. bang bang play. Go Bears!

CF-I'm sorry to bother you but I do need step-by-step guidance. Of course I tried to click on the direct feed to get me to the Utah feed but what are my next steps when I get there?

S71- I am so sorry but for me- when i click on the link- the match starts. I am on Google Chrome, though. Not internet explorer. Wish I had better guidance!

As Conley gets into another jam I have to wonder... is Dung hurt? I just don't understand why Conley would get the start in this instance. FIRST Pac-12 game of the year. Don't you want to set the right tone? Dung is a substantially better pitcher and should be in the circle as much as possible. Sighs.

Just so many walks. And when you fall behind in the count as often as Conley does, you have to consistently come back and throw over the plate. With her power, it becomes dangerous for giving up the long ball. Hoping we see Dung or Perez in soon.

And there we go. Conley gives up the hit to fall behind 4-2. Against the worse team in the conference. Should have been avoided.

CalFanatic said:

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As Conley gets into another jam I have to wonder... is Dung hurt? I just don't understand why Conley would get the start in this instance. FIRST Pac-12 game of the year. Don't you want to set the right tone? Dung is a substantially better pitcher and should be in the circle as much as possible. Sighs.

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100% agree! Now she is in relieving Conley as Cal behind 4-2 now!

Dung finally comes in...but a bit too late if you ask me.

Dung with the 1,2, 3 inning. Cal down 5-3 with 3 outs left. TIME TO RALLY!

Coehlo pulls an rbi single past 1b! 5-4 Utah with 2 outs.

Pitching change before facing Espalin.

Call falls 5-4.

Really, really bad start to conference play for Cal.

This is a series I automatically had penciled in as a sweep. You can not lose a conference game to the worse team in the conference.

Dung should be pitching as much as possible. She throws hard, has very tight spin on the ball and is a warrior in the circle. She battles. She is being under utilized.

Conley needs to be pitching more in the non-conference games- during conference season. Not starting in the circle during the Pac-12 opener.

Sighs.

This loss is on the coach! Compared the Conley and Dung's stats and their is no comparison. Dung game is going up which Conley has been struggling.

OBear073akaSMFan said:

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This loss is on the coach! Compared the Conley and Dung's stats and their is no comparison. Dung game is going up which Conley has been struggling.

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I am still at a loss for this decision. I hope Dung gets the start and is ready to pitch games 2 and 3. We simply can't afford to lose a series to the worse team in the Pac-12 conference.

CalFanatic said:

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OBear073akaSMFan said:

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This loss is on the coach! Compared the Conley and Dung's stats and their is no comparison. Dung game is going up which Conley has been struggling.

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I am still at a loss for this decision. I hope Dung gets the start and is ready to pitch games 2 and 3. We simply can't afford to lose a series to the worse team in the Pac-12 conference.

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She drives me nuts.

S71 thanks for all the information. I may get back into softball again. I will certainly watch Kama as much as I can.

I'm able to watch the game today by using GoogleChrome as my browser. I hate to say it but Kamalani Dung appears not to be on top of her game today. She walked the lead-off hitters in both the 1st & 2nd innings and has been behind most hitters. Bonstrom's triple in the first was one of the hardest hit balls that I've seen this season.

The Bears hot hitting seems to have vanished in Utah as Chantel Ladner has not allowed a hard hit ball against her through three frames. Utes intentionally walked Rood in the third when she came up with a runner on base. I would imagine that will become common place.

Kamalani just walked the lead-off hitter again to start the B4th and the next batter singles to CF on the next pitch.
Two on w/ nobody out. & cleanup hitter, Hurst, doubles to RCF to plate both runners (3-0). Both Bonstrom & Hurst are freshmen and seem totally unfazed by Cal's senior ace, Dung.

The Bears trail by 3 runs heading to the fifth inning for the second consecutive day. Cal awakens with three straight hard hit balls. Sparacino homers, Perez lines a single to left and Blueford triples to the gap in RC.
Top of the order up and Rood sac flies immediately to tie the game at 3-3. Bradley singles and Coelho walks. Ladner is KO'd and frosh Sandez comes in in relief to face Espalin with one out. Espalin lines into a DP.

Dung yields two quick Ute runs. She doesn't have an "out" pitch today that I can see. Lead-off double, two walks & a clutch triple by Barrera. Through 5 IP, KD has allowed 5 earned runs on five hits (4 extra-base hits) plus five walks.

Zoe Conley pitches the sixth and gives up another lead-off walk. Two runs end up scoring (one earned).
Utah jumps out to a 7-3 lead. Cal out 1-2-3 to lose the series [0-2] to the projected last place team in the Pac 9. Both Zoe & Kamalani didn't show much to me. I'd go with Alex Perez tomorrow in an attempt to spark the team. GO BEARS!

Text book out coached. Batters swinging with no plan against pitchers they've already seen, outfielders diving for balls instead of keeping them infrount - costing runs/extra runs, inning ending errors, pitch calling to the Utes best hitters and walks, overall no game plan.

Either way we lost this series the moment we didn't start Dung Friday, start Conley Saturday, and start Dung Sunday and close with Conley/Perez for EXP. We should've showed no mercy and set the tone with that Friday game instead of letting the Utes hang in the game and see both of our pitchers, setting up today and the rest of the weekend.

Also I think Dung is throwing injured bc today was out of character for her. I saw her with pads/a back brace down her back in Florida and if you watch her you can still see it's something she's battling with.

I know this will light a fire in the bears for the rest of PAC. Overall C performance from all aspects of the game. If bears were A or even B performance we win. Small adjustments to make. #gobears

Thanks for your comments. Both Dung & particularly Conley doesn't seem to be pitching like last year considering we haven't even gotten into Pac-9 play yet (meaning prior to the Utah games). Wonder if Conley is also injured. Looking at last yr her era was 2.25 but now it is over 4! Was at the 2nd game of the Fairleigh Dickerson game. Maybe should had checked out Dung more to see if there was any noticeable injures.

I believe Amani Bradley is benched today because of her diving misses in the gaps in RC & LC. When is the last time that Cal has had an adept defensive outfielder that makes running catches more than 10 feet away from their initial position. Bradley has done a nice job in the #2 spot in the batting order offensively. Both corner outfielders are not good at going back on the ball. You're taught to run to the fence and turn back to find the ball. Fines keeps allowing balls to go over her head to the fence. Is there any coaching of outfield play?

I'm happy that Alex Perez is in the circle today because the Ute's top three hitters are left-handed. I could not believe the dropped pop fly to shortstop by Rood. Fortunately she redeemed herself with a leaping catch of a line drive.

If the Bears get swept in Utah, I forsee them settling at the bottom of the conference. Cal used to be known for pitching and defense but now they're weaknesses.

I also feel that Cal should use their speed to pressure on opposing defenses. Rood, Bradley, Blueford & some others should attempt to steal until they get thrown out. Obviously, if the opposing catcher has a history of handling the base stealer, then the green light should be taken off and the yellow light put on...

Kamalani Dung enters in the B3rd and the Bears leading 3-1. She gives up a three run bomb to the first batter that she faces: frosh SS Bonstrom and almost another to senior Barrera. Suddenly, Utes are awake and lead 4-3. Dung doesn't look the least bit formidable to Utah hitters. Dickman walks. Dung finally exits the 3rd.

McCue & Nunez can't hit the ball out of the infield. McCue has a career BA% below the Mendoza line (,200).

Cal has scored 4-3-7 (6 innings) runs on the road in consecutive games in Pac Nine play but the Bear's pitching/defense have not made the runs stand up for a victory. Three base throwing error on 3B Sparacino
allows another unearned run. Utah up 5-3.

In the top of 5th, Coelho & Espalin rap back-to-back singles w 1 out and Utah goes to the bullpen for Aussie Chantelle Ladner. Cal greets her with two consecutive singles by Fines & Smith to tie the game, 5-5. Bears take a 6-5 lead and bring in Kourtney Shaw in relief. Shaw was hit hard and gave up the lead quickly to Utah
7-6. Zoe Conley called in from the bullpen to attempt to shut the door...She walks her 1st batter.

Top of the 6th, Mickey Coelho belts a loooong HR to deadlock it, again, @ 7-7. Two consecutive innings, Rood lead-off by making a quick out but Coelho immediately responded by starting rallies both times. Next season, I believe Coelho will be the leader of this team.

Bears go down 1-2-3 in top of 7th to frosh pitcher. Utes in good shape with another infield error to put Dickman
on to lead off...Zoe Conley escapes a bases-loaded jam. Extra-innings coming up! Destiny Blueford goes yard (HR) to left field off of an off speed pitch. Cal goes up 8-7 but must face the heart of Utah's order in Bonstron & Barrera in the B8th. ZOE induces four ground balls and retires the side without damage. Cal wins in SLC to salvage a game in the opening weekend. It took the Bears' entire pitching staff to survive, yielding two unearned runs on three infield errors. GO BEARS!

It's not the prettiest but we'll take it - bears win! 3 runs on errors off the record. Kama and Zoe were lights out last year against Utah so I'm gonna chalk it up and just say it was an off weekend for the whole team.

Cal escapes a near upset against Sac State.

Ties it in the 7th and wins due to a HR by Sparacino. Woof. Not pretty but i'll take it.

The Sac State ace (1.97 ERA) pitched a two hitter through 7 innings against Cal. The last state college pitcher to do that was Kamalani Dung for Fresno State in Berkeley. I believe the Bears miraculously won that game, too. The only Bear hitter that could solve that senior starter was Karlie Sparacino with a double to tie it in the 7th and a two-run HR to win it in the 9th.

Evidently, Amani Bradley must be injured because she did not make even a token
appearance for the second consecutive game. The Bears need the speedster's offense because Krysten McCue (.118 BA%) has proven over four years that she cannot hit. I did not see the game (thank goodness) but Cal pitched and fielded well to save the day. Sac State has a winning record this season behind two quality pitchers.

GO BEARS!