#2 UCLA Softball Hosts Stanford in Final Home Stand
After sweeping a doubleheader against Long Beach State, the Bruins are playing their final four home games of the regular season.
After sweeping a midweek doubleheader at Long Beach State, the #2 UCLA Bruins softball team will host their final home games this weekend against the Stanford Cardinal. First pitch for tonight’s game is scheduled for 7 pm PT and the game will be broadcast by Pac-12 Networks.
Last Time Out
On Wednesday, the Bruins took a short trip to Long Beach State where they swept the 49ers in a doubleheader. UCLA outscored Long Beach State 15-3 across both games.
Game one started out a bit slow for both teams, but the Bruins were finally able to get on the board in the bottom of the fourth. Briana Perez led off the inning with a walk, and she advanced to second on a single by Rachel Garcia. Delanie Wisz lined out to third and the 49ers doubled up Perez. Both Maya Brady and Alyssa Garcia drew walks to load the bases. Jenavee Peres hit an RBI single to score Rachel Garcia, but the 49ers closed out the inning before UCLA could score any more. After four, the Bruins had a small 1-0 lead.
In the top of the fifth, Thessa Malau’ulu started the Bruins off with a single. She moved up to second on a wild pitch and to third on a grounder by Kelli Godin. Kinsley Washington walked and stole second, giving UCLA runners on second and third. Both runners scored when Perez tripled down the right field line and she scored when Rachel Garcia grounded out to short. After five, the Bruins now led 4-0.
Alyssa Garcia started off the sixth inning for UCLA with a walk and Alana Snow pinch ran for her. The 49ers also walked Jenavee Peres and Seneca Curo ran for her. With one out, Julie Rodriguez pinch hit for Kelly Godin and also walked to load the bases. While Washington grounded out, but Snow scored to put the Bruins up, 5-0.
In the bottom of the seventh, Rachel Garcia gave up an RBI double with one out as Long Beach State scored their only run of the game and the Bruins had a 5-1 win.
Game two saw a lot more scoring, with UCLA opening things up much earlier. In the top of the second, Brady led off with a single and Anna Vines doubled to left, advancing Brady to third. Curo came up to bat and was hit by a pitch. That meant that when Taylor Edwards drew a bases-loaded walk, Brady scored the Bruins’ first run of the game. A sacrifice fly by Peres scored Vines and made the score 2-0, UCLA, after an inning and a half.
The third started with a double to center field by Rachel Garcia, who was swapped out for Lauryn Carter as pinch runner. One out later, Brady singled, scoring Carter while Brady also came around the bases to score on a fielding error. Vines added a solo shot to right field, putting the Bruins up by five after two and a half innings.
In the fourth, Long Beach managed to put up two runs off a single and a homer, but UCLA was still up 5-2.
The fifth inning was the beginning of the end for the 49ers as UCLA doubled their runs in a matter of minutes. Vines walked with one out and advanced to second when Curo hit a clutch single to center field. Edwards matched with another single to move the runners up and loading the bases. Godin hit an RBI single which scored Vines and moved everyone up a base. A walk to Washington kept the carousel moving and tacked on another run, bringing the score to 7-2, UCLA.
At this point, Kelly Inouye-Perez made a couple of changes, bringing in Malau’ulu to run for Washington and Rodriguez to hit for Garcia. Rodriguez drew a walk, scoring Edwards. A wild pitch saw everyone move up including Godin who scored, giving the Bruins a 9-2 advantage. Long Beach State tried to stop the bleeding with a pitching change, but an RBI single by Brady scored Malau’ulu to make it 10-2, Bruins.
Holly Azevedo threw a 1-2-3 fifth inning, bringing the game to an end under the mercy rule and earning the sweep for the Bruins.
Stanford Cardinal
Stanford head coach Jessica Allister can earn her 400th career victory as a Division I head coach this weekend. The 11th-year head coach is two wins shy of the milestone, but it’s unlikely she will get there at Easton Stadium.
Sophomore pitcher Alana Vawter is one of four pitchers in the country with at least 20 wins and an ERA under 1.00. Vawter became the first Stanford pitcher since 2014 to post 20 victories in a season with her victory over UC Berkeley on Wednesday. Teammate Taylor Gindlesperger is tied for the national lead with eight triples this season and also has three inside-the-park home runs.
Even with these accolades, UCLA’s bats and pitching continue to keep them in the #2 spot in the country, racking up wins. With their losses only coming to top 5 teams, the Bruins should probably sweep this series.
All four games this weekend will be televised by the Pac-12 Networks and this series is also Senior Weekend at Easton Stadium. Tickets are not sold publicly for these games, and fans in attendance are only guests of the players.
#2 UCLA Softball (34-3, 13-2)
Opponent:Â Stanford Cardinal (29-14, 8-7)
Where:Â Easton Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
When:Â 7:00 pm PT, Friday, May 7, 2021
TV:Â Pac-12 Networks National, Los Angeles and Bay Area
Live Stream:Â Pac-12.com
Live Audio: UCLA Live Audio
Live Stats:Â UCLA StatBroadcast
Game Notes
UCLA
Official Preview
Go Bruins!!!
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