University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
UCLA
Stanford
Grauer, Top of Lineup Key in Victory
April 11, 2016 | Softball
UCLA Softball Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
LOS ANGELES - Sophomore Johanna Grauer tossed six shutout innings to win her 11th game of the season, while the 1-2-3 spots in the UCLA lineup, senior Allexis Bennett, sophomore Kylee Perez and junior Delaney Spaulding, combined for six hits, six runs batted in and four runs scored, as the 13th-ranked Bruins run-ruled Stanford on Sunday by a score of 8-0 in six innings at Easton Stadium.
The Bruins improved to 24-11-1 overall and 6-3-1 in Pac-12 play, while the Cardinal fell to 13-19 and 0-8 in league action.
Grauer (11-8) started the game by retiring the first six Stanford hitters, adding a 1-2-3 frame in the sixth when she also struck out two. The sophomore fanned three in the game and limited the Cardinal to five hits and two walks. Offensively, the Bruins had eight hits, with Bennett, Perez and Spaulding collecting two each. Spaulding drove in three, Perez added two RBI and Bennett crossed the plate twice.
UCLA scored the game's first run in the first. Bennett led off with a walk, moved to second on an infield single by Perez, advanced to third on a Spaulding sacrifice and scored on an illegal pitch. In the top of the third, Bennett made one of three great defensive plays for UCLA when she gunned down Savannah Schulze, who tried to score on a single up the middle by Kylie Sorenson.
In the bottom of the third, the Bruins tacked on two more runs. The rally began again with Bennett, who led off with an infield single, moved to second on a Perez sacrifice, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on Spaulding's team-best ninth home run of the season to right to extend the lead to 3-0.
The Bruins turned their nation-leading 28th double play in the fourth to help Grauer get out of a jam. With the bases loaded and no outs, Arden Pettit popped a ball up near the circle that was caught by senior Mysha Sataraka, and when Jessica Plaza got caught off the bag at third, Sataraka fired to Spaulding for the twin-killing. Another great defensive play occurred in the fifth. With runners at second and first and one out, Sorenson grounded one up the middle, but Spaulding dove, corralled it and flipped to Perez for the force play to likely save a Stanford run.
In the bottom of the fourth, UCLA added three to its ledger due to a trio of Cardinal errors. Freshman Paige Halstead and junior Jelly Felix each opened the inning by reaching base on miscues. One out later, Bennett sent a fly ball over the center fielder's head for a double to bring in junior Robyn Corruth, who was running for Halstead, to make it 4-0. Perez then tapped a ball to second, but the throw was dropped at first, as Felix came home to bring the lead to 5-0. After a failed squeeze attempt gave Stanford the second out of the inning, Perez, who moved to second on that play, scored on a single by Spaulding to extend the advantage to 6-0.
UCLA would close out Stanford in the sixth. Felix led off with a single through the 5-6 hole and was pinch-run for by freshman Zoe Shaw, who moved to second on a walk to junior Gabrielle Maurice. Following a Bennett sacrifice, Perez bounced one through the 3-4 hole to bring in Shaw and Maurice to give the Bruins their ninth-mercy rule victory of the season.
The Bruins look for the sweep of the Cardinal on Monday. First pitch is at 7 p.m. at Easton Stadium. The game will be broadcast on Pac-12 Network National, Los Angeles and Bay Area, and will also feature live audio and live stats on UCLABruins.com.
