#2 UCLA Softball Begins Title Defense Against Long Beach State
#2 UCLA Softball Begins Title Defense Against Long Beach State
The Bruins begin their defense of their 2019 national championship tonight.
After ending the regular season by taking three of four games from the #11 Arizona Wildcats, the UCLA Bruins softball team now moves into the postseason. As the #2 overall seed in the tournament, the Bruins will host this weekend’s regionals and will host next weekend’s super regionals if they are able to advance. UCLA’s first game will be against Cal State Long Beach tonight at 7:30 pm PT and it will be televised on ESPN2.
Last Time Out
Last Sunday, UCLA took on the Arizona Wildcats in game four of a four-game series. The Wildcats struck first at the bottom of the second with one run.
In the top of the 5th, the Bruin bats got to work. Anna Vines started the inning with a walk and Kelli Godin followed with a single. After a pitching change, Aaliyah Jordan reached first on a fielder’s choice which advanced Godin to second and scored Vines to tie the game. With one out, Rachel Garcia was intentionally walked loading the bases. When Delanie Wisz also drew a walk, Godin scored to put UCLA up, 2-1. Maya Brady’s two-RBI double increased the Bruins’ lead to 4-1. Kinsley Washington put the first pitch she was thrown over the left field wall and UCLA was on top, 7-1, after four and a half innings.
The Wildcats rallied in the sixth, but only scored one run while stranding a pair of baserunners. In the seventh, Rachel Garcia pitched a one-two-three inning to finish off Arizona with a final score of 7-2.
NCAA Regionals
UCLA enters this year’s tournament as the defending national champions and 2021 Pac-12 Champions. Tonight’s game will be against the Big West Champions Cal State Long Beach, a team they met and defeated twice on the road during the regular season. The Bruins outscored them 15-3 in those games. The winner of tonight’s game will play the winner of the Minnesota vs. Fresno State game tomorrow at 1:30 pm PT. If UCLA wins again, they will play Sunday at 3:00 pm PT.
This regional is double elimination, meaning that teams who lose a game will not be eliminated until they lose a second game. Here is the full regional schedule:
Los Angeles Regional Schedule
Friday, May 21
Game 1 – Fresno State vs. Minnesota - 5:00 pm - ESPNU
Game 2 – Long Beach State at No. 2 UCLA - 7:30 pm - ESPN2
Saturday, May 22
Game 3 – Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner – 1:30 pm – ESPN Family of Networks
Game 4 – Game 1 Loser vs. Game 2 Loser – 4:00 pm – ESPN Family of Networks
Game 5 – Game 3 Loser vs. Game 4 Winner – 6:30 pm – ESPN Family of Networks
Sunday, May 23
Game 6 – Game 3 Winner vs. Game 5 Winner – 3 pm – ESPN Family of Networks
Game 7 – Game 6 Winner vs. Game 6 Loser (if necessary) – 5:30 pm – ESPN Family of Networks
Los Angeles Regional Game #2
Teams: #2 seed UCLA Softball (41-4) vs. Cal State Long Beach 49ers (30-9)
When: 7:30 pm PT, Friday, May 21, 2021
Where: Easton Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
TV: ESPN2
Live Stream: WatchESPN.com and the ESPN app
Live Stats: UCLA StatBroadcast
Game Notes
UCLA
Long Beach
Tournament Bracket
Official Preview
Go Bruins!!!
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