UCLA
Oklahoma
Bruin Softball Falls Short vs. Oklahoma
May 29, 2000 | Softball
May 29, 2000
OKLAHOMA CITY - It looked like the Bruins were going to be able to rally in the bottom of the seventh inning, but the 2000 NCAA Championship game ended quickly and strangely, leaving UCLA on the short end of a 3-1 score. The victory gives Oklahoma its first NCAA title since its baseball team won the College World Series in 1984.
Down by two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning, the Bruins started a rally with a one-out single to right field by centerfielder Crissy Buck. Buck then advanced to second base when the ball batted by pinch-hitter Toria Auelua went between the legs of Oklahoma shortstop Kellie Braitsch. Amanda Freed then flew out to left field, and as Bruin shortstop Natasha Watley stepped into the box Buck took off for third base and was called out for leaving early, thus ending the game.
A protest was field by UCLA head coach Sue Enquist, but it was not upheld and the game ended with the score of Oklahoma 3, UCLA 1.
Oklahoma scored all of its runs in the third inning, when centerfielder Erin Evans led off with a single to left field, which was followed by a home run by first baseman Lisa Carey, a shot that hit the tend covering the left field bleachers.
Amanda Freed tied her season and career high with 13 strikeouts in the game, including the second inning when she struck out the side, all on called third strikes. Freed concludes the season with a 28-8 record.
"We didn't capitalize offensively today," said UCLA head coach Sue Enquist. "It takes a lot to remain competitive in a ball game when you're down, and I can't say enough about this club and how they fought literally up until the end of the ball game. Even though we didn't have momentum to hang on to, we did such a good job of staying connected on defense and making the plays that we needed to make."
Three Bruins were named to the All-Tournament team, senior catcher Julie Marshall, sophomore pitcher Amanda Freed and freshman first baseman Tairia Mims, the tournament's leading hitter.
The All-Tournament team also included Courtney Blades (Southern Miss.), Kellie Braitsch (OU), Jaime Clark (WASH), Shavanughe Desecki (DePaul), Erin Johnson (Southern Miss.), Kellie Kretschman (Alabama), and Oklahoma's Jennifer Stewart, the Most Outstanding Player of the Women's College World Series.
