University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
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Auburn
Bruins Drop Day One Decision to Auburn
June 02, 2016 | Softball
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OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. - Senior Mysha Sataraka hit a majestic, three-run homer on Thursday against #4-seed Auburn, but it was not enough for the 12th-seeded Bruins, who fell to the Tigers, 10-3, at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium.
The Bruins fall to 40-15-1 and drop into the loser's bracket. They will be off tomorrow and will return to action on Saturday at 9 a.m. PT/11 a.m. CT in an elimination game against #8-seed Florida State.
Sataraka was 2-for-3 on the afternoon, while sophomore Kylee Perez and freshman Zoe Shaw also had two hits apiece. The Bruins had seven hits as a team. In the circle, all three pitchers saw time. Sophomore Selina Ta'amilo (19-6) started and gave up four runs (three earned), one hit and one walk in one third of an inning. Redshirt junior Paige McDuffee surrendered three unearned runs in 2 2/3 innings, giving up four hits and a walk, while sophomore Johanna Grauer tossed three frames of relief, striking out one and giving up three runs (one earned), four hits and three walks.
Auburn (55-10) never looked back after scoring five in the bottom of the first on only one hit. The Tigers scored on a bases-loaded hit by pitch of Jade Rhodes, a sacrifice fly by Haley Fagan, another bases-loaded plunking with Whitney Jordan at the plate and a two-run error by the Bruins. Auburn tacked on two more runs in the third on a two-run single by Emily Carosone.
The Bruins got in the game in the fourth thanks to three-straight leadoff hits. Perez recorded a double to left-center, junior Delaney Spaulding singled up the middle and both came home on Sataraka's 14th home run of the season, a moon shot that sailed over the left-field pole.
It would be the last of the scoring though for the Bruins, as Auburn added a run in its half of the fourth on an RBI double by Fagan, as well as two more in the sixth on a two-run double by Kasey Cooper.
