University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Bubba Nickles (left) and Holly Azevedo helped Team USA to its second-straight JWWC title.
Photo by: USA Softball
Nickles, Azevedo Win Gold at Junior Worlds
July 30, 2017 | Softball
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CLEARWATER, Fla. -ย Sophomore Bubba Nickles and incoming freshman Holly Azevedoย helped the USA Softball Junior Women's National Team win the WBSC Junior Women's World Championship, completing their gold medal run on Sunday with a 13-4 win over Japan. Bruin alum Natasha Watleyย and current UCLA assistant coach Kirk Walkerย wereย assistants on the team.
Nicklesย set tournament records for home runs with six and runs batted in with 30, recording 20 hits in 29 at-bats for a .690 batting average. She opened the JWWC with a two-homer, four-RBI contest against Turkey on July 24. She would also leave the yard four more times versus South Africa (July 25), Chinese Taipei (July 27) and in back-to-back matchups with Japan (July 29-30) to close out the weekend. Nickles drove in runs in all nine games, including six in the gold medal game.
Azevedo appeared in four games in the circle, going 2-0 with a save and 11 strikeouts in 11 innings. She picked up the win against Turkey in the tournament opener, striking out all six batters she faced in two innings. Azevedo also posted a victory versus Chinese Taipei and a save against Japan (July 29).
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