Marissa Drewrey pitched a six-hitter with 10 strikeouts and Cal beat Fresno State 3-0 Saturday afternoon to send the Bulldogs into the loser's bracket of the NCAA's Fresno softball regional at Bulldog Diamond.
The loss now forces Fresno State to win three straight to capture the regional title.
Unbeaten Cal advances to Sunday's 1 p.m. championship game. Whoever faces the Bears must win twice in this double-elimination format.
Cal's Bernice Masaniai hit a bases-loaded single to right to score two runs and spark a three-run inning in the third. Drewrey (28-16) has won both regional games for the Bears.
Morgan Melloh (40-8) allowed only fur hits and struck out six. But the left-hander wasn't sharp and ran the count full to several batters and was in trouble most of the game.
The Bulldogs play the winner of the San Diego State-Sacramento State elimination game later in the day.