UCLA
Oregon State
5-Run 5th Spurs Comeback Over OSU
April 17, 2016 | Softball
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LOS ANGELES - Sophomore Madeline Jelenicki drove in four runs on Saturday, producing a game-tying, two-run homer in the third and a game-tying, two-run double in the fifth, as the 13th-ranked Bruins came back to defeat Oregon State, 7-5, at Easton Stadium.
The Bruins improved to 27-12-1 overall and 8-4-1 in Pac-12 action, while the Beavers fell to 26-13-1 and 5-9 in league play.
The Bruins had six hits, as freshman Paige Halstead matched Jelenicki with a two-hit game. In the circle, redshirt junior Paige McDuffee earned the win to move to 3-0 on the season, retiring two of the three batters she faced in the fifth inning. Sophomore Johanna Grauer, who started the contest, would end up re-entering to pick up the save. She tossed six innings and fanned three, giving up three runs, seven hits and three walks. Sophomore Selina Ta'amilo struck out one in a 1/3 inning of relief.
After three scoreless innings, Oregon State got on the board with two in its half of the fourth on a two-run homer by Mikela Manewa. In the bottom half of the inning, the Bruins used one swing to tie things up. Junior Delaney Spaulding led off by reaching on an error and came home on Jelenicki's ninth bomb of the season to center to tie Spaulding for the team lead and make it 2-all.
The Beavers responded with three in the top of the fifth, scoring runs on a McKenna Arriola RBI single, a wild pitch and an Alysha Everett sacrifice fly to go up 5-2. But again, the Bruins matched it and then some, batting around and scoring five in their half of the fifth. The rally all started with two outs in the inning, as a walk to senior Allexis Bennett, a bunt single from sophomore Kylee Perez and a free pass to Spaulding loaded the bases for Sataraka, who would also draw a walk to make it 5-3.
Jelenicki then lined the first pitch she saw into left field to plate Perez and Spaulding to even the score at five. Junior Gabrielle Maurice followed by sending the first pitch she was issued into left-center for a double, as Sataraka and freshman Imani Johnson, who was running for Jelenicki, came home to give the Bruins a 7-5 lead.
Oregon State wasn't done yet, but Grauer got out of a huge jam in the sixth to keep it a two-run game. The Beavers loaded the bases with no outs, but Grauer struck out Shelby Weeks, induced Manewa into a fielder's choice ground out to retire Michelle Sass at home and then fanned Natalie Hampton to end the threat.
The Bruins and the Beavers play the rubber game of their three-game set on Sunday at 12 p.m. Tickets are limited and will be made available on a first-come, first-served basis starting at 9:30 a.m. In addition, UCLA players and coaches will sign autographs following the contest. Live audio and live stats will be available on UCLABruins.com.
