UCLA
25-1, 1-1
Oregon
25-5, 1-1
#2 Bruins Fight Until the End in Loss to Oregon
March 17, 2018 | Softball
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EUGENE, Ore. - The second-ranked Bruins scored five unanswered runs in the final two innings on a two-run homer by redshirt sophomore Rachel Garcia in the sixth and a three-run shot by redshirt freshman Aaliyah Jordan in the seventh, but came up a couple short in a 7-5 loss to #6 Oregon on Saturday at Jane Sanders Stadium.
UCLA, which came into the game as the nation's last undefeated team after #1 Washington lost its first contest of the year earlier on Saturday at Arizona State, fell to 25-1 and 1-1 in Pac-12 play, while Oregon improved to 25-5 and 1-1 in league.
The Bruins had seven hits from six players, as Jordan recorded a pair of hits. Senior Selina Ta'amilo started and pitched the end of the game after re-entering, allowing four runs (three earned), six hits and two walks in three innings. Freshman Holly Azevedo struck out one in three innings, giving up three runs, three hits and four walks.
UCLA spotted Oregon the first seven runs, as the Ducks scored two in the first on an RBI single by Gwen Svekis and an RBI fielder's choice from Mia Camuso, one in the second on a bases-loaded walk to Camuso, two in the fourth on a bases-loaded hit by pitch of Camuso and a wild pitch to score Mary Iakopo and two in the fifth on a two-run single by Iakopo.
The Bruins, who had just two hits through the first five innings, had two in the sixth and scored twice. Jordan stroked a one-out double to left and came home one out later on Garcia's fourth homer of the season to left-center to make it 7-2.
Bruins on the board, 7-2 Oregon, as we go to the bottom of the sixth. pic.twitter.com/ttQFV3juuM
— UCLA Softball (@UCLASoftball) March 18, 2018
In the seventh, freshman Kinsley Washington walked with one out, senior Kylee Perez drew a free pass with two outs and Jordan launched her sixth homer of the season to center to cut the deficit to 7-5. But after a single to left by junior Brianna Tautalafua brought the tying run up, Oregon's Miranda Elish retired Garcia on a grounder to short to end the Bruins' unbeaten streak, which tied for the fifth longest to start a season in program history.
Aailyah Jordan can't feel the pressure.
— Pac-12 Network (@Pac12Network) March 18, 2018
She punishes this two-strike, two-out pitch to the bleachers to put @UCLASoftball down two in the seventh ?? pic.twitter.com/qbzWfTdM6P
The Bruins and the Ducks square off in the rubber game of their series on Sunday at 2 p.m. The game will air on Pac-12 Networks National and Los Angeles.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Elish, Miranda (11-0)
L: Ta'amilo, Selina (4-1)
Batting:
2B: Jordan, Aaliyah 1
HR: Jordan, Aaliyah 1 ; Garcia, Rachel 1
RBI: Jordan, Aaliyah 3 ; Garcia, Rachel 2
SH: Nickles, Bubba 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Perez, Kylee 1 ; Jordan, Aaliyah 2 ; Garcia, Rachel 1 ; Washington, Kinsley 1
HBP: Perez, Kylee 1
Batting:
2B: Sanders, DJ 1
RBI: Iakopo, Mary 2 ; Svekis, Gwen 1 ; Camuso, Mia 3
SH: Mack, Alexis 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Lilley, Jenna 1 ; Mack, Alexis 2 ; Iakopo, Mary 2 ; Sanders, DJ 2
SB: Mack, Alexis 1 ; Camuso, Mia 1
HBP: Lilley, Jenna 2 ; Camuso, Mia 1
