Frani Echavarria got her third RBI of the game during a three-run sixth inning for California, helping the top-seeded Golden Bears rally past LSU 5-3 on Thursday in the opening round of the Women’s College World Series.

(More details)



Rachele Fico fires a pitch against
Cal in the World Series opener



Oxford’s Rachele Fico took the loss for LSU (39-24). The junior All-American worked 5 1/3 innings allowing four runs, only two of which were earned. She fanned six and walked walked four. Brittany Mack came in relief in the sixth inning and allowed a run on two hits.

(Box score)

 LSU jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning when Allison Falcon and Ashley Applegate each singled before both scored on Morgan Russell’s double to right.

Cal (57-5) cut the deficit in half in the third. Britt Vonk reached on a fielder’s choice and advanced to second on a walk to Valerie Arioto. With two outs, Echavarria singled to right field to score Vonk.
Echavarria then tied it 2-2 with a sacrifice fly in the fifth.
In the sixth, Jamia Reid drove in the go-ahead run, Vonk had an RBI single and stole a base, and Echavarria added a run-scoring groundout.
Ashley Langoni hit an RBI double for the Lady Tigers in the seventh to complete the scoring.
Cal will take on Oklahoma on Friday night after the fourth-seeded Sooners beat South Florida 5-1 earlier Thursday. LSU will play USF in an elimination game on Saturday.