UCLA
Texas A&M
Sixth-Ranked Bruins Split Friday Doubleheader
February 07, 2015 | Softball
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LOS ANGELES - In matchups with a pair of fellow ranked teams, #6 UCLA routed #24 Texas A&M 13-0 in five innings in the opener, but handed #21 Notre Dame an 8-4 victory in the nightcap to split Friday's doubleheader at Easton Stadium on day two of the So Cal Collegiate Classic.
In game one, the Bruins (2-0) jumped all over Texas A&M (1-1) with seven runs in the second en route to their second-straight, 13-run output. Nine different players had hits, as senior Stephany LaRosa recorded three with two runs batted in, senior Ally Carda added two hits and four RBI, junior Allexis Bennett had two hits and two RBI and junior Brittany Moeai posted two hits.
In the circle, Carda started and picked up her second win of the season, striking out six in four innings with two hits and one walk allowed. Freshman Selina Ta'amilo closed up shop with a shutout fifth frame, giving up one hit.
After a scoreless inning and a half, the Bruins broke it open with nine straight players reaching base in the second. With one out, freshman Maddy Jelenicki and sophomore Gabrielle Maurice recorded back-to-back singles. Moeai followed with a single to right-center to score Jelenicki with the game's first run, as Maurice took third. A single to right-center by junior Mysha Sataraka plated Maurice to make it 2-0.
Senior Gracie Goulder roped a double to left-center to plate Moeai with the Bruins' third run and a walk to sophomore Delaney Spaulding loaded the bases for Bennett, who singled up the middle to score Sataraka and Goulder to make it 5-0. After a wild pitch moved Spaulding to third and Bennett to second, Carda singled to right to bring home Spaulding with UCLA's sixth run. LaRosa then made it nine straight batters to reach base with a single to right to score Bennett to make it 7-0.
In the third, the Bruins added another when LaRosa had a two-out single to left to bring in Spaulding to make it 8-0.
UCLA piled it on with five in the fourth. Maurice drew a walk and was pinch-run for by sophomore Robyn Corruth, who moved to second on a single by Moeai, who was run for by senior Tara Mueller. After a tapper to the right side by senior Sam Duran moved both runners over, Goulder walked to load the bases. One out later, sophomore Jelly Felix singled up the middle to score Corruth and Mueller to make it 10-0. Carda followed with her second homer of the season, a three-run shot to left, to increase the advantage to 13-0.
In game two, the Bruins had six hits, with Jelenicki recording a pair. Freshman Johanna Grauer started and struck out one in three innings with two runs and six hits allowed. Carda relieved her and tossed 3 2/3 frames of relief, striking out five, but allowing four hits, two walks and six runs, although only one was earned. Ta'amilo recorded the last out of the seventh on one pitch.
Notre Dame (2-0) broke the scoreless tie in the top of the third. With two outs, Jenna Simon singled to right and Emilee Koerner homered to right-center to put the Irish up.
The Bruins (2-1) slowly fought back and eventually took the lead. Carda led off the fourth with a double to left-center, and one out later, Jelenicki doubled to right-center to plate her and make it 2-1 Notre Dame. In the fifth, UCLA loaded the bases with one out on a Spaulding walk, a Bennett single and a Carda free pass. LaRosa followed with a fly ball just deep enough in center to score Spaulding to even things at two.
In the sixth, the Bruins plated two more runs with two outs. Maurice led off with a bunt single, and two outs later, Goulder was hit. Spaulding followed with a single to left to bring in Maurice to put the home team up 3-2, as Goulder took third on the throw home. Then with Bennett at the plate, she missed on a squeeze attempt, which was picked up by Notre Dame catcher Cassidy Whidden. The backstop threw back to third to try and get Goulder, but the ball hit the Bruin in the helmet and ricocheted away, as Goulder scampered home to make it 4-2.
In the seventh, the Bruins made three costly errors to give the game to the Fighting Irish, as a fielder's choice ground out for Micaela Arizmendi scored Karley Wester to make it 4-3 and a throwing error by LaRosa at first allowed Simon to tie the game. The Irish would end up loading the bases and got the go-ahead run on a walk to Sara White, tacking on three more runs on a Kimmy Sullivan two-run, infield single and a bases loaded hit by pitch of Simon.
The Bruins are back in action twice on Saturday, matching up with Texas A&M again at 3:30 p.m. and Purdue at 6 p.m. Live stats will be available at UCLABruins.com.
