University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
UCLA
Southern Miss
Softball Advances to NCAA Championship Game, Will Face Oklahoma on Monday
May 28, 2000 | Softball
May 28, 2000
OKLAHOMA CITY - The UCLA softball team has advanced to its 14th NCAA Championship game with a 6-0 victory over Southern Mississippi, and will play on Monday at 12:15 p.m. Central Time for a chance at the national title. UCLA will enter the title game with a record of 46-11-1. The Bruins will face Oklahoma, a team making its first-ever Women's College World Series appearance.
The Bruins came out of the gate quickly, with a single to left field by starting pitcher Amanda Freed, followed by a home run to left field by senior third baseman Julie Adams, her sixth on the season. In the second inning, Courtney Dale led off with a double to left and was hit home by another homer to left, this time by freshman first baseman Tairia Mims. Freed knocked the second homer of the inning when she hit a solo shot for the Bruins third run of the inning.
With a 5-0 lead after 1-1/2 innings, the Bruins were able to cruise from there. Southern Miss pitcher Courtney Blades, the NCAA record holder for strikeouts and victories, was chased from the game after pitching just two innings, her first start of the year in which she did not record a strikeout.
Lady Eagle reliever Felicia Gonzales did allow one additional run, as Natasha Watley singled to lead off the fifth inning, was wild pitched to second base and scored on a single and subsequent error on an at-bat by Adams.
Freed pitched five innings for the Bruins, allowing just two hits while striking out four. With a 6-0 lead after 5-1/2, head coach Sue Enquist brought in Courtney Dale to close out the game for the Bruins. Dale successfully recorded the remaining six outs without allowing a hit and while striking out one.
"Our plan today was to jump out early and get on Courtney Blades," said UCLA head coach Sue Enquist. "We did a good job of executing our plan offensively. I'm pleased that Amanda Freed did well in the circle and that Courtney Dale turned in a solid performance coming in for her first appearance of the series."
UCLA will face Oklahoma for the NCAA title on Monday at 12:15 p.m. CT. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN.
