March 3, 2000
LA JOLLA, Calif. - The UCLA softball team posted a pair of 2-0 victories over Loyola Marymount and San Diego on Friday in the opening day of competition for the Torero Invitational Classic hosted by the University of San Diego.
In UCLA's opening game of the day, the Bruins scored two runs in the bottom of the second inning. Julie Adams reached on an error, and Monique Mejia came in to the game to pinch run for Adams. Mejia was sacrificed to second base on a bunt by Tairia Mims. Crissy Buck was hit by a pitch to give the Bruins runners on first and second with two outs.
At that point, sophomore Amanda Freed, the starting pitcher for the Bruins in the game, helped her own cause with an RBI double down the left field line. Lupe Brambila then walked to load the bases before Natasha Watley hit an RBI single down the right field line to score Buck.
That was all the offense that Freed would need, as she struck out 10 and only allowed one hit on her way to her eighth victory of the season.
UCLA took to the field again in a late-starting game against the tournament host, the Univeristy of San Diego. The Bruins brought their bats early, opening with a single to left by Brambila. Watley then reached base on an error, and advanced to second while Brambila was out at third.
The long fences at the USD Softball Complex, 235 down the lines and 250 to centerfield, came into play again, as Marshall hit an RBI triple that went to the fence in right center to give UCLA a 1-0 lead.
Stephanie Swenson pitched another outstanding game for the Bruins, keeping hold of a no-hitter through six full innings before allowing a single to the leadoff batter in the seventh. The Bruins added an insurance run on a Julie Adams triple in the sixth inning, and Swenson picked up her fifth victory and third shutout of the season.
UCLA, which now stands at 20-3 on the 2000 season, is scheduled to play two games on Saturday, an 11 a.m. first pitch against Saint Mary's and a 7 p.m. first pitch against Long Beach State.