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OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. - The UCLA offense started with a bang on a solo home run by junior Bubba Nickles to lead off the game, and ended up breaking things open with a four-run sixth, including a three-run homer by redshirt sophomore Aaliyah Jordan, as the second-seeded Bruins began the Women's College World Series with a 7-2 victory over No. 7 Minnesota on Thursday at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium.
The Bruins (52-6) advance in the winner's bracket and will face No. 6 Arizona on Friday at 6 p.m. CT/4 p.m. PT. The game will be televised on ESPN.
Redshirt junior Rachel Garcia (25-1) struck out seven in a complete-game four-hitter, giving up two runs and two walks. She fanned a pair in the first and third innings, tossing 1-2-3 frames in the second and seventh.
UCLA had eight hits from seven different players, with senior Taylor Pack posting two hits.
Nickles got things started in the bottom of the first, as she launched her 17th homer of the season to left.
In the second, singles by Pack and freshman Colleen Sullivan and back-to-back walks to senior Brianna Tautalafua and sophomore Kinsley Washington scored the Bruins' second run.
UCLA added one more in the third. Jordan led off with a walk, and alertly moved from first to third on a single to left by Garcia. Pack followed with a sacrifice fly to center to bring in Jordan to make it 3-0.
Minnesota (46-13) trimmed its deficit to one after scoring a pair of runs in the top of the sixth inning, but UCLA responded with four in its half of the sixth. With one out, Washington singled to left, moved to second on a bunt hit by freshman Kelli Godin and scored when Nickles reached on an error at second base. One out later, Jordan crushed a homer to right, her 11th of the season, to make it 7-2.
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. - The UCLA offense started with a bang on a solo home run by junior Bubba Nickles to lead off the game, and ended up breaking things open with a four-run sixth, including a three-run homer by redshirt sophomore Aaliyah Jordan, as the second-seeded Bruins began the Women's College World Series with a 7-2 victory over No. 7 Minnesota on Thursday at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium.
The Bruins (52-6) advance in the winner's bracket and will face No. 6 Arizona on Friday at 6 p.m. CT/4 p.m. PT. The game will be televised on ESPN.
Redshirt junior Rachel Garcia (25-1) struck out seven in a complete-game four-hitter, giving up two runs and two walks. She fanned a pair in the first and third innings, tossing 1-2-3 frames in the second and seventh.
UCLA had eight hits from seven different players, with senior Taylor Pack posting two hits.
Nickles got things started in the bottom of the first, as she launched her 17th homer of the season to left.
In the second, singles by Pack and freshman Colleen Sullivan and back-to-back walks to senior Brianna Tautalafua and sophomore Kinsley Washington scored the Bruins' second run.
UCLA added one more in the third. Jordan led off with a walk, and alertly moved from first to third on a single to left by Garcia. Pack followed with a sacrifice fly to center to bring in Jordan to make it 3-0.
Minnesota (46-13) trimmed its deficit to one after scoring a pair of runs in the top of the sixth inning, but UCLA responded with four in its half of the sixth. With one out, Washington singled to left, moved to second on a bunt hit by freshman Kelli Godin and scored when Nickles reached on an error at second base. One out later, Jordan crushed a homer to right, her 11th of the season, to make it 7-2.