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12th-Ranked Bruins Split Thursday Doubleheader in the Desert
February 20, 2015 | Softball
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CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. - The 12th-ranked Bruins split a doubleheader on Thursday to open up play at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic, defeating Indiana 7-4 and falling to #25 Texas 5-3 at Big League Dreams Sports Park.
In game one against Indiana (2-10), five Bruins (10-2) had a pair of hits, while the UCLA freshmen combined for the win in the circle. Senior Stephany LaRosa, juniors Allexis Bennett and Brittany Moeai and freshmen Maddy Jelenicki and Kylee Perez each posted two hits.
In the circle, freshman Selina Ta'amilo (1-1) struck out a career-best eight in four innings of work, allowing two runs, four hits and two walks. She struck out the side in the second and a pair in both the first and third. Fellow freshman Johanna Grauer tossed the last three frames and fanned four, giving up two runs and four hits. She had a whiff in every inning, including two in the fifth.
UCLA drew first blood in the second when LaRosa smashed the first pitch she saw over the center field fence, 230 feet away, for her second home run of the season.
The Bruins brought in two more in the third. Senior Gracie Goulder reached on an error by Indiana pitcher Lora Olson and moved to second after a high chopper to short resulted in an infield single for Bennett. After a double steal, senior Ally Carda grounded out to second to drive in Goulder with the Bruins' second run. A sacrifice fly to center off the bat of sophomore Delaney Spaulding brought home Bennett to make it 3-0.
In the fourth, one swing of the bat got the Hoosiers to within one. Michelle Huber led off with a single up the middle and was pinch-run for by Alyssa Rosati, who scored one out later on a homer down the left-field line by Kassi Farmer to make it 3-2.
The Bruins got some insurance in the fifth. Jelenicki led off with a single back to the circle and was pinch-run for by senior Tara Mueller, who moved to second when Goulder reached on another error, to third on a bunt single by Bennett and home one out later when Spaulding posted her second sacrifice fly of the game to extend the lead to 4-2.
UCLA added what proved to be some big insurance runs in the sixth. Moeai and LaRosa each singled to right to open the inning and a single up the middle by Perez loaded the bases. Jelenicki then fisted a ball into right to bring home Moeai to make it 5-2, as LaRosa was retired at the plate for the first out of the inning. Goulder followed with a single up the middle to bring home Perez with UCLA's sixth run, as Jelenicki took third. Bennett took one for a ride to center, but it was caught, yet still deep enough to bring Jelenicki in with the Bruins' seventh run.
The reason the runs were huge was because with two outs, the Hoosiers rallied with back-to-back homers by Kelsey Dotson and Taylor Uden. But Grauer held on to save the game for Ta'amilo to give the Bruins their 10th win of the season.
In the nightcap versus Texas (9-3), the Bruins (10-3) scattered eight hits, as Goulder and Spaulding each posted a pair. In the circle, junior Paige McDuffee (1-1) started and struck out two in two innings, allowing a run and two hits. Carda tossed the last five frames and fanned six, giving up four runs, five hits and five walks.
The Longhorns scored in their first at-bat, as Lindsey Stephens tripled to center with two outs and came home on Holly Kern's single to right. In the fourth, the Longhorns added to their lead when a wild pitch with the bases loaded and two outs plated Tiarra Davis to go up 2-0.
The Bruins netted that run back in their half of the fourth. With one out, sophomore Gabrielle Maurice reached on a bunt single, and one out later, Moeai walked. Perez followed with a double to left-center to bring home Maurice with UCLA's first run.
In the top of the fifth, Stephens led off with a walk, stole second and came home one out later on a single up the middle by Erin Shireman to put Texas back up by a pair. One out later, Marlee Gabaldon walked and Kelli Hanzel blooped a single into left to plate Shireman to make it 4-1.
The Bruins got one back in their half of the fifth. Goulder singled up the middle and Bennett reached on a bunt single to start the inning. One out later, Goulder moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a Spaulding single to left to cut the deficit to 4-2.
Shireman brought the Longhorns' lead back up to three on the first pitch of the seventh with a homer to right-center to make it 5-2.
The Bruins rallied with one in their half of the seventh, but fell two short. Jelenicki led off with a double to right-center and was pinch-run for by sophomore Robyn Corruth. Goulder walked, and one out later, Spaulding blooped a single to left-center to plate Corruth to make it 5-3. But the Longhorns held on for the two-run victory.
The Bruins are back in action on Friday against Missouri at 5:30 p.m. at the Big League Dreams Sports Park (Wrigley Field). Live stats will be available on UCLABruins.com.
