UCLA
California
No. 1 Softball Sweeps No. 13 Cal in Pac-10 Opener
June 21, 1999 | Softball
March 29, 1999
LOS ANGELES - UCLA head coach Sue Enquist registered her 500th career victory Saturday, as the No. 1 ranked UCLA softball team improved to 31-0 on the season and 2-0 in the Pac-10, sweeping No. 13 Cal 4-3 and 3-1 in a doubleheader at UCLA's Easton Softball Stadium. Enquist, who entered the season with a 470-97 overall mark, picked up No. 500 in UCLA's opening-game victory.
Game one marked one of UCLA's toughest contests this season as Cal (27-7; 0- 2 Pac-10) took a 2-0 advantage heading into the bottom of the fifth inning. However, Bruin second baseman Lyndsey Klein tied the game at two apiece as, following a Julie Adams leadoff single, she belted her third home run of the season, a two-run shot off Cal starter Nicole DiSalvio. Adams, who was UCLA's top performer in game one going 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI, put the Bruins up 4-2 in the bottom of the sixth, recording a two-out, two-RBI single to right field. The Golden Bears staged a late rally in the top of the seventh when shortstop Katie May registered an RBI-single, brining Cal to within one. However, UCLA pitcher Amanda Freed, who was brought in at the top of the seventh for starter Courtney Dale, managed to secure the 4-3 victory. With the win, Dale improved to 14-0 on the season and Freed picked up her first save on the year. The Golden Bears, unable to capitalize on several opportunities, stranded 12 runners on base to just two for UCLA.
Unlike in game one, the Bruins got on the board early in game two as Marshall started things off in the bottom of the first, blasting a two-run homer off Cal starter Jocelyn Forest. Cal added a run in the fourth, however UCLA center fielder Christie Ambrosi notched an RBI-double in the bottom half of that inning, putting the Bruins up 3-1. Freed, UCLA's game-two starter, held the Golden Bears to just two hits and one unearned run to improve to 14-0 on the season.
Cal was led on the afternoon by Paige Bowie, who was 2-for-3 with a run scored in game one, and Candace Harper, who was 2-for-4 with an RBI, also in game one.
With a sweep of No. 7 Stanford on Sunday, UCLA would match the best start in the program's history. The Bruins started the 1992 campaign 33-0, en route to NCAA Championship honors.
Both teams will continue Pac-10 play tomorrow as Cal travels up to Seattle for a doubleheader with the Huskies and UCLA hosts No. 7 Stanford at Easton Stadium beginning at 1:00 p.m.
