UCLA Softball Opens Pac-12 Play Against Arizona State
The Bruins swept a doubeheader against UNLV, 10-0 and 8-0, last weekend.
The #2 UCLA softball team returns to action this evening when the Bruins open Pac-12 play with a weekend series against the #6 Arizona State Sun Devils. First pitch tonight is scheduled for 5 pm PT and the game will be live streamed.
Last Time Out
Last Friday, the Bruins swept UNLV, 10-0 and 8-0, in another pair of mercy-rule shortened games. In the first game, Rachel Garcia started a game for the first time since she was hurt before throwing a pitch against Cal State Fullerton and she was downright masterful. She threw a complete five innings and allowed just one hit and two walks while striking out 14 of the 19 batters she faced.
In the bottom of the first, Bubba Nickles drew a walk to start the game for the Bruins. Briana Perez followed with a homer to right which scored Nickles and made it 2-0, UCLA. While that was enough to win, the Bruins tacked on two more on an RBI single by Maya Brady and a fielder’s choice by Kinsley Washington.
In the second, UCLA added four more runs using small ball. Perez walked to lead off the inning and scored on a ground out by Aaliyah Jordan after stealing both second and third. The Bruins added three more insurance runs due to a bases loaded walk to Washington and a pinch-hit, two RBI single by Jenavee Peres.
The final runs of the game came in the third on a two-RBI single by Alyssa Garcia.
In Game Two, Megan Faraimo might have said, “Hold my beer” to Rachel Garcia. That’s because she faced four few batters in her five-inning, mercy-rule shortened complete game. She faced the minimum 15 batters in those five innings. She also allowed one hit but no walks while striking out 12.
The bottom of the first began exactly like the first. Nickles drew a walk to lead off and Perez homered to make it, 2-0.
Nickles added an RBI single in the second inning which made it 3-0, Bruins.
That was all the scoring until the bottom of the fifth when Rachel Garcia hit a lead-off homer to start UCLA’s rally. An RBI double from Anna Vines put the Bruins up, 5-0. A wild pitch to Kelli Godin scored Vines and Godin capped the game with a one-out, two-run homer to right as UCLA cruised to an 8-0 win.
#6 Arizona State Sun Devils
The Sun Devils’ only two losses so far this season came against Oklahoma and Baylor. The problem is that they haven’t really played any quality opponents. Their “best” wins have come over Utah and Cal State Fullerton and I use quotes around best because they aren’t exactly top-notch teams, but they are the highest quality teams that ASU has played.
So, when the Bruins host the Devils at home this weekend, I don’t really see anything preventing a four-game weekend sweep for UCLA.
#2 UCLA Softball (13-1)
Opponent: #6 Arizona State Sun Devils (17-2)
When: 5:00 pm PT, Friday, March 19, 2021
Where: Easton Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
TV: None
Live Stream: Pac-12.com and the Pac-12 Now app
Live Stats: UCLA StatBroadcast
Game Notes
Official Preview
Go Bruins!
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The Pac-12 conference will be tough. I don't see anyone going undefeated. Softball America ranked 5 Pac -12 teams in the Top 10. I see at least 4 teams making it to the college world series.
#8 Washington squeezed by #7 Arizona 2-1 tonight
Joe - I am not as confident as you are. 2 years ago I watched our offense light up a weak ASU pitching staff while our pitchers stifled their hitters. I still think our pitchers will hold their hitters in check but they added two solid pitchers we have not seen before. Lindsay Lopez, (6-1, 1.65 ERA) and Allison Royalty (5-1, 2.67 ERA) and a more experienced Cielo Meza (6-0, 3.58 ERA) may limit our offense. Lopez was a stud at Poston Butte (about a mile from my house) and had 0.54 ERA in an albeit limited season last year. Allison Royalty was a highly ranked coming out of high school after leading her travel team to a PGF Championship. I watched both of them pitch and they are legit Pac-12 level pitchers.