UCLA
Utah
Ta'amilo Shuts Down the Utes
May 08, 2016 | Softball
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SALT LAKE CITY, Utah - Sophomore Selina Ta'amilo tossed a complete-game, three-hit shutout, while the 13th-ranked Bruins hit three home runs, as UCLA run-ruled #25 Utah on Saturday, 8-0, in six innings at Dumke Family Softball Stadium.
The Bruins improved to 35-13-1 overall and 16-5-1 in Pac-12 play, while the Utes fell to 31-17 and 12-8 in league action.
Ta'amilo (17-5) had three 1-2-3 innings in the third, fourth and sixth, striking out one in six frames and allowing just one walk. UCLA recorded nine hits from six different players. Junior Delaney Spaulding had a pair of hits, sophomore Kylee Perez posted two hits and two RBI and freshman Brianna Tautalafua drove in four and had two hits, as all three players left the yard.
The Bruins scored single runs in the first two innings, as Spaulding belted a two-out homer to left in the first, her team-leading 14th. In the second, sophomore Madeline Jelenicki reached second base after a throwing error, moved to third on a ground out by junior Gabrielle Maurice and scored on a single to left-center off the bat of Tautalafua to put the Bruins up 2-0.
UCLA tacked on two more in the fourth. Freshman Paige Halstead led off with a walk and was pinch-run for by junior Robyn Corruth, who moved to second on a sacrifice by freshman Zoe Shaw and scored on a triple to right from senior Allexis Bennett to make it 3-0. Perez then laid down a perfect squeeze bunt to drive in Bennett with the Bruins' fourth run.
The Bruins added three more in the fifth. Senior Mysha Sataraka led off with a walk and Jelenicki singled to left, as freshman Imani Johnson came in to run for her. Tautalafua then cleared the bases with a shot to left, her second of the weekend and seventh of the season, to extend the lead to 7-0.
Perez brought the mercy rule into effect for the second-straight game, as she belted a first-pitch homer in the sixth, her third of the year, to make it 8-0.
The Bruins look to finish their regular season with a sweep of Utah on Sunday at 11 a.m. PT. The game will be televised on Pac-12 Network Los Angeles and Mountain.
