UCLA
Utah State
Bats Stay Hot for 10th-Ranked Bruins in Win Over Utah State
February 14, 2015 | Softball
UCLA Softball Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
2015 UCLA Softball Schedule | PDF Schedule
HENDERSON, Nev. - After three scoreless innings, the UCLA bats came alive with a nine-spot in the fourth as the 10th-ranked Bruins rolled to a 12-4 victory over Utah State on Saturday at Stephanie Lynn Craig Park on the second day of the Wilson/DeMarini Desert Classic.
The Bruins (7-2) recorded 16 hits, as 10 different players had at least one. Sophomore Delaney Spaulding posted three hits and tied a career high with five runs batted in. Senior Stephany LaRosa had a pair of doubles and RBI, while junior Allexis Bennett, sophomore Gabrielle Maurice and freshman Kylee Perez each tallied two-hit contests.
Freshman Johanna Grauer improved to 3-0 on the season, striking out five in four innings and giving up three runs, six hits and three walks. Senior Ally Carda earned her first save of the year with three innings of relief, giving up a home run with two strikeouts.
The Bruins sent 12 players to the plate in the top of the fourth. Maurice singled to right-center to open the inning, LaRosa doubled to center and junior Brittany Moeai walked to load the bases. Junior Mysha Sataraka laced a double just inside the first-base line to bring home Maurice and LaRosa with the game's first runs, as sophomore Robyn Corruth, who was running for Moeai, took third. Perez then laid down a perfect squeeze bunt in front of the plate, as Corruth barrel-rolled into the plate to put UCLA up 3-0.
Sophomore Jelly Felix followed with a pinch-hit single through the right side to bring in senior Jessica Amaral, who was running for Sataraka, to make it 4-0, as Perez took third. One out later, Carda walked to load the bases for Spaulding, who tripled down the right-field line to clear the bases and put the Bruins up 7-0. A walk to Maurice put runners at the corners for LaRosa, who doubled to left-center to score a pair and extend the lead to 9-0.
Utah State (0-6) got on the board with one swing of the bat in the bottom of the fourth. With two outs, Jolene Koons walked, Sarah Chow reached on an infield single and Victoria Saucedo hit a homer to left-center to make it 9-3.
In the fifth, the Bruins added a pair. Freshman Maddy Jelenicki and Perez both singled to open the inning, and one out later, each moved up on a wild pitch. Two batters later, Spaulding singled up the middle to plate Jelenicki and Perez to make it 11-3.
The Aggies extended the game in the bottom of the fifth when Alleyah Armendariz led off with a homer to cut their deficit to 11-4.
In the seventh, Carda singled to left-center with one out, Spaulding doubled her to third and Maurice singled her in to give the Bruins a dozen runs.
The Bruins are back in action on Saturday night at 6 p.m. against Hawai'i at UNLV's Eller Media Stadium. Live stats will be available at UCLABruins.com.
