BERKELEY – Five different players scored for California in a 5-0 blowout of Houston Baptist in a mid-day game on Tuesday on Goldman Field at Edwards Stadium. The Golden Bears improved their record to 3-2-0, while the Huskies fell to 2-4-0.

 

The Bears have scored nine goals and allowed just one in its last two games, since falling 6-0 at top-10 powerhouse Maryland on Sept. 2.

 

The first half stayed 0-0 most of the way until the 43:37 mark, when senior defender Steve Birnbaum and sophomore midfielder Connor Hallisey combined to set up senior midfielder Tony Salciccia’s third goal of the season.

 

Hallisey picked up his second assist of the game when he slipped a pass to junior forward Luis Fuentes, and the latter – a transfer from Mt. SAC – scored his first goal as a Bear with his blast at 44:50.

 

Cal took the 2-0 lead into halftime.

 

Just 3:25 into the second half, senior forward John Fitzpatrick scored his first goal of the season, heading in a cross by junior defender Ryan Neil to give Cal a 3-0 lead.

 

At 59:54, sophomore midfielder Seth Casiple – who leads Cal in assists with four – scored his first goal of 2012. Senior forward Michael Munoz and Neil assisted on the goal, which Casiple shot from in close and past HBU goalkeeper Kevin Suarez. Cal led, 4-0.

 

For the second straight match, Kyle Marsh capped the scoring as the junior defender fired past Suarez at 69:13 to give the Bears a 5-0 lead with his second goal of the year.

 

Cal continues its home stand when it hosts San Francisco at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 16.