UCLA Softball Hits 5 HRs to Beat Arizona, 8-0; Plays DH Tonight
UCLA Softball Hits 5 HRs to Beat Arizona, 8-0; Plays DH Tonight
The Bruins are officially one game away from a Pac-12 Conference title.
After blanking Arizona, 8-0, last night, the #2 UCLA Bruins softball team will play a doubleheader against the Wildcats this evening. First pitch for game one is scheduled for 4:30 pm PT while the first pitch for the nitecap is slated for 7:30 pm PT. Game one will be broadcast on Pac-12 Networks while the second game will air on ESPNU. UCLA needs only one more win to officially take their 11th Pac-12 Conference title.
Last Time Out
UCLA faced the #8 Arizona Wildcats in game one of the final four-game series of the Bruins’ regular season. Senior pitcher Rachel Garcia allowed only two hits and a walk in the 8-0 shutout victory. She also struck out two in her 13th win of the season.
UCLA started the scoring in the top of the first when, with two outs, the Bruins got back-to-back-to-back homers from Rachel Garcia, Delanie Wisz, and Maya Brady. While UCLA followed that by loading the bases, the Wildcats managed to stop the bleeding and the Bruins had a 3-0 lead.
To start off the second, Aaliyah Jordan kept the home run machine going, when she hit a solo shot to center field. With the score now 4-0, Arizona made a pitching change and brought in senior Mariah Lopez. Briana Perez drew a walk and took second on a wild pitch. Perez moved up to third on a groundout to short by Rachel Garcia and she scored on another groundout by Wisz. UCLA was now up, 5-0.
Anna Vines led off the third with a single and a single by Alyssa Garcia gave the Bruins runners on the corners. Thessa Malau’ulu pinch ran for Garcia. Kinsley Washington hit a sacrifice fly to score Vines and a groundout by Kelli Godin moved Malau’ulu to second. An RBI double by Jordan scored Malau’ulu and UCLA, now up 7-0, was on the brink of ending this game early.
The Bruins passed their season-high for home runs in a game when Brady hit her second homer of the game, this one to right, for the fifth UCLA home run of the game. It was the only run of the inning, but it put the Bruins up, 8-0. That meant that Arizona was going to have to score soon if they wanted to avoid the mercy rule.
The Wildcats got their third baserunner of the game with two outs in the fourth and Rachel Garcia responded by striking out the next batter for the third out. That left Arizona with one last chance to score in the bottom of the fifth, but there were no runs to be had. After Garcia hit the lead-off batter with a pitch, the Bruins turned two and Garcia got the next batter to ground out to end the game due to the mercy rule after five innings.
Today’s double header will be televised on two different networks, with game one on Pac-12 Networks and game two on ESPNU. Both will be livestreamed. A win in either game today will clinch UCLA’s 11th Pac-12 Conference title.
#2 UCLA Softball (39-3, 17-2)
Opponent: #8 Arizona Wildcats (36-11, 12-8)
Where: Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium, Tucson, Arizona
Game 1
When: 4:30 pm PT, Friday, May 14, 2021
TV: Pac-12 Networks National, Los Angeles, and Arizona
Live Stream: Pac-12.com
Live Stats: UCLA StatBroadcast
Game 2
When: 7:30 pm PT, Friday, May 14, 2021
TV: ESPNU
Live Stream: WatchESPN.com
Live Stats: UCLA StatBroadcast
Game Notes
UCLA Arizona
Official Preview
Go Bruins!!!
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