UCLA
Arizona State
Sixth-Ranked Bruins Drop Regular-Season Finale to #23 Arizona State
May 10, 2015 | Softball
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TEMPE, Ariz. - The sixth-ranked Bruins hit three more homers on Saturday night at Farrington Stadium, but #23 Arizona State rallied for an 11-10 victory in the regular-season finale for both teams.
The Bruins finish the regular season at 45-10 overall and 19-5 in Pac-12 play, while the Sun Devils improve to 34-20 and 12-11 in league action.
UCLA recorded 12 hits, as senior Stephany LaRosa had three hits and three RBI, while junior Allexis Bennett posted three hits and two RBI. Senior Gracie Goulder and freshman Kylee Perez each added two-hit contests. In the circle, senior Ally Carda (26-6) struck out four in 4 2/3 innings and gave up five runs, five hits and four walks. Freshman Johanna Grauer started and allowed six runs, six hits and one walk in two innings.
The Bruins jumped out to a 3-0 lead on one swing of the bat in the first, as LaRosa connected on a three-run shot to right-center, her 15th of the season.
Arizona State got one back in its half of the first on an RBI single by Amber Freeman, but the Bruins responded with six in the top of the second. Junior Mysha Sataraka walked to open the inning, Goulder reached on a bunt single and Perez moved them over on a sacrifice. After sophomore Delaney Spaulding was walked intentionally, Bennett doubled to left-center to score Sataraka and Goulder to make it 5-1.
One out later, LaRosa was issued an intentional walk to bring up freshman Maddy Jelenicki, who crushed the first grand slam of her career and seventh homer of the season to up the lead to 9-1.
The Sun Devils narrowed the gap with five in the third on solo homers by Jennifer Soria and Sierra Rodriguez, sacrifice flies from Haley Steele and Elizabeth Caporuscio and a run-scoring wild pitch to get to within three at 9-6.
In the fifth, ASU closed it to within one on a two-run homer by Nikki Girard to make it 9-8.
Maurice got the Bruins to double figures with a solo homer in the sixth, her eighth of the season, to put the visitors on top 10-8.
In the bottom of the seventh, the Sun Devils put a pair on with two outs and Soria walked off with the victory on a homer to left to give ASU the 11-10 win.
The Bruins find out where their postseason journey begins on Sunday when the NCAA Selection Show airs at 7 p.m. on ESPNU.
