UCLA Softball Crushes Virginia Tech, 6-0, to Advance to WCWS
Maya Brady hit two homers including a three-run shot that chased Keely Rochard for the first time in the tournament.
The UCLA softball team advanced to the Women’s College World Series by beating Virginia Tech yesterday, 6-0. The Bruins will face Florida State on Thursday at 6:30 pm PT and the game will be broadcast on ESPN.
On Thursday night, UCLA lost in large part because the Bruins committed five errors. Last night, UCLA played error-free softball while the Hokies committed three errors.
The Bruins were also helped by the fact that Rachel Garcia had her stuff. Garcia held Virginia Tech to just two hits while striking out thirteen. That’s one shy of an average of two strikeouts per inning.
From their first at-bat, UCLA did their talking with the bats.
Aaliyah Jordan started things off in the bottom of the first with a lead-off single. Rachel Garcia also singled. With two out and runners on second and third, the Hokies made their first error when Addy Greene booted a ball hit by Briana Perez. That scored Jordan and the Bruins took a 1-0 lead.
Alyssa Garcia led off the second for UCLA and she was hit by a Keely Rochard pitch. After Lauryn Carter pinch-ran for her, Carter stole second. Bubba Nickles drew a walk in her first plate appearance since March and Carter moved to third on a wild pitch. That brought the top of the order for UCLA and Jordan hit a ball to Greene who made her second error of the game, scoring Carter and giving UCLA a 2-0 lead.
With one out in the third, Maya Brady hit one deep to right-center that gave the Bruins a 3-0 lead.
Rochard managed to hold UCLA scoreless in the fourth. But the Bruins’ offense was about to kick it into high gear.
Rachel Garcia drew a lead-off walk to start the fifth. Virginia Tech’s third error of the game, this one by Cameron Fagan, allowed Delanie Wisz to reach. That brought Brady back up with runners on first and second with no outs. She took a 1-1 pitch and put it over the centerfield wall, doubling the Bruins’ lead to 6-0 and chasing Rochard for the first time in the tournament.
Rachel Garcia got the final six outs in order to send the Bruins to Oklahoma City to defend their national title.
Go Bruins!!!
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