Cal softball team hopes for long NCAA tournament run

For most of the Cal softball players, Wednesday’s agenda started at 2 a.m. — a wake-up call that allowed them to get to campus by 3:30, jump on a 6:20 flight to Atlanta and ride a bus through traffic for nearly two hours on the way to Athens, Ga.

“I didn’t even sleep,” junior pitcher Kamalani Dung said, “but it’ll all be worth it Friday.”

The Bears open NCAA regional play against Northwestern at 9 a.m. Friday, the first step in a postseason journey they hope will mirror the trek to get there — an arduous path with a rewarding finish.