UCLA
Mississippi
Softball Splits at Hallowell Chevrolet Classic
March 11, 2000 | Softball
March 11, 2000
FRESNO, Calif. - The UCLA softball team splits its two contests on Saturday, defeating Ole Miss by a 4-0 margin in the day's opener and falling to Illinois State 3-2 in eight innings.
Against the Rebels, the Bruins scored the first run of the game in the top of the fifth inning when Lyndsey Klein walked and was doubled home by Julie Marshall. In the top of the seventh, the Bruins scored their remaining three runs when Lupe Brambila reached on a bunt single, Natasha Watley singled and the pair were sacrificed to third and second by Amanda Freed. From there, Lyndsey Klein cleared the bases with a triple to left center and was singled home by Marshall.
Freed earned her 11th victory of the season in the game, while striking out five. With their 11th straight shutout victory, UCLA had not allowed a run of any kind in 81 innings, a stretch dating back to the 5-2 victory over Fresno State on Feb. 19.
Stephanie Swenson started in the circle for the Bruins against Illinois State, and struggled early on. The Redbirds, who were the designated home team in the contest, collected a leadoff single in the bottom of the first inning and turned it into a run. Swenson lasted three batters into the second inning before being relieved by Freed.
The Bruin bats stayed quiet until the top of the sixth inning, when Freed walked to lead off the inning, was sacrificed to second by Klein, advanced to third on a groundout by Marshall and was doubled home by Julie Adams.
That ended the scoring in regulation play, and the international tiebreaker rule (ITB) placed runners on second base for both teams beginning in the eighth inning.
Bruin speedster Watley was the ITB runner in the eighth. A sacrifice bunt by Freed advanced her to third, and she was called safe at home on a sacrifice fly to left hit by Marshall.
The Redbirds took to the field in the eighth, and lost their ITB baserunner when Freed gunned her down at third base on a fielders choice. Bridget Fournie then walked, and Becky McMurtry singled pinch runner Melissa Baker home to tie up the game at 2-2. Corey Harris walked to load the bases for ISU with one out before Freed posted her ninth strikeout of the game when Abbie Scott struck out looking. Unfortunately, second baseman April Schermann was able to single home the winning run on a hit to right field.
UCLA is now 25-4 on the season, and will conclude tournament play at 3 p.m. on Sunday when the Bruins face the host Fresno State Bulldogs.
