Wednesday, February 15
Los Angeles, Calif.
4:30 PM
UCLA
6-0
6
vs
2
Kentucky
3-3
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Kentucky
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
5
1
UCLA
2
3
0
1
0
0
X
6
9
0
Redshirt freshman Rachel Garcia went 23 1/3 innings before allowing her first run.
#5 Bruins Split Doubleheader With #22 Kentucky
February 15, 2017 | Softball
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LOS ANGELES - Redshirt freshman Rachel Garcia tossed 13 2/3 innings of relief during Wednesday's doubleheader, striking out 16, but the fifth-ranked Bruins came away with a split against #22 Kentucky, winning game one 6-2 before losing the nightcap 2-1 in 11 innings.
In game one, the Bruins (6-0) had nine hits from five different players, as junior Kylee Perez posted three hits and three RBI, while senior Gabrielle Maurice and sophomore Brianna Tautalafua added two hits each.
Garcia had four 1-2-3 innings in the second, fourth, sixth and seventh. She struck out at least one in every inning, fanning the side in the fifth and a pair in the second.
Kentucky (3-3) jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first on an RBI double for Alex Martens and an RBI single by Abbey Cheek.
The Bruins rallied with two in their half of the first. With one out, Perez singled up the middle, freshman Bubba Nickles singled her to third and both of them scored on a single to right-center by Garcia to even the score.
UCLA tacked on three more in the second. With one out, Maurice and Tautalafua had back-to-back singles and Shaw walked to load the bases. After a fielder's choice retired Maurice at home for the second out, Perez singled to right to plate Tautalafua and Shaw to make it 4-2, as senior Delaney Spaulding came home on a throwing error to add the Bruins' fifth run.
The Bruins added another run in the fourth. Maurice and Tautalafua led off the frame with consecutive singles, and two outs later, Perez singled home Maurice to make it 6-2.
UCLA had its chances in game two, but left 10 on base. Six players combined for eight hits, as Spaulding and sophomore Paige Halstead had two apiece.
Garcia fanned six in seven innings of relief, giving up her first run of the season and three hits. She had 1-2-3 frames in the sixth, seventh and 10th. Junior Johanna Grauer started and struck out three in four frames, allowing a run, three hits and two walks. She retired the first six batters of the game.
Kentucky (4-3) drew first blood in the third on an RBI single by Cheek. UCLA (6-1) evened the score in the fourth on a miscue by the Wildcats' defense. With Halstead at third and two outs, Kentucky first baseman Erin Rethlake fielded a Maurice grounder, but instead of going to the bag, she threw home and late, allowing Halstead to tie the score.
The score remained even at one until the top of the 11th when a home run by Jenny Schaper ended Garcia's scoreless streak to start her career at 23 1/3 innings.
The Bruins head to the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic I on Friday, facing Cal Poly at 5:30 p.m. and UCF at 8 p.m. Live stats will be available at UCLABruins.com.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Garcia, Rachel (3-0)
L: Larissa Spellman (1-1)
Batting:
2B: Alex Martens 1
RBI: Alex Martens 1 ; Abbey Cheek 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Katie Reed 1 ; Alex Martens 1
Batting:
RBI: Perez, Kylee 3 ; Garcia, Rachel 2
SH: Shaw, Zoe 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Spaulding, Delaney 1 ; Perez, Kylee 1 ; Nickles, Bubba 1 ; Maurice, Gabrielle 1 ; Tautalafua, Brianna 1 ; Shaw, Zoe 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
1
H
3
RBI
3
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
P/UTIL
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
C/UTIL
/ SoftballOF
/ SoftballP/INF
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballINF
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