UCLA
9-0
Alabama
3-2
Faraimo, Woolery Lead No. 2 Bruins Past No. 15 Alabama
February 17, 2023 | Softball
CLEARWATER, Fla. – A first-inning grand slam by Jordan Woolery proved to be the difference as the second-ranked UCLA softball team defeated No. 15 Alabama 5-3 on Day 2 of the TaxAct Clearwater Invitational on Friday.
Redshirt senior Megan Faraimo improved to 5-0 on the year, striking out 13 batters in a complete-game effort. Six of her final seven outs, including the final three, came by way of strikeout. Faraimo moved past Rachel Garcia into fifth place on the Bruins' career strikeouts list, increasing her total to 816.
It proved to be an all-freshman affair when it came to driving in runs for UCLA (9-0), with Kennedy Powell adding an RBI single to Woolery's bases-clearing blast. Janelle Meoño and Savannah Pola logged two hits apiece.
Ashley Prange hit two home runs to account for the Crimson Tide's scoring. Larissa Preuitt added two hits. Montana Fouts tossed 4.2 innings for Alabama (3-2), giving up five earned runs on eight hits and striking out nine. She dropped to 2-1.
The Crimson Tide jumped out to a 2-0 lead before an out was made, as Prange deposited a pitch from Faraimo beyond the left-field wall to cash in Kenleigh Cahalan's leadoff single.
The Bruins responded emphatically in the bottom half of the first, though, with leadoff hitter Pola singling, Maya Brady doubling and Megan Grant walking to load the bases for cleanup hitter Woolery. Down 0-2 in the count, Woolery made the most of her first career home run, driving a Fouts offering to right for an opposite-field shot.
WOOLERY'S FIRST CAREER HOMER IS A GRAND SLAM!!!
— UCLA Softball (@UCLASoftball) February 17, 2023
??: ESPN2
??: https://t.co/v5h2StsxE6 #GoBruins | #ClearwaterInvite pic.twitter.com/LOeZ0gDwip
Prange again took Faraimo deep to lead off the third, cutting the Crimson Tide's deficit in half. Faraimo retired the next three batters in order. The Bruins mounted a two-out rally in the bottom of the frame, as Powell's single through the right side of the infield brought Sharlize Palacios home.
With two outs and Prange on deck in the top of the seventh inning, Faraimo froze Cahalan with a full count to end the game.
UCLA continues its time at the Eddie C. Moore Complex with a Saturday doubleheader. The Bruins meet No. 6 Florida State in the opener, set for a 7 a.m. (PT) start. UCLA then takes on No. 8 Virginia Tech in a matchup scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. Both games will be televised by ESPNU.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Faraimo, Megan (5-0)
L: Montana Fouts (2-1)
Batting:
2B: Ally Shipman 1
HR: Ashley Prange 2
RBI: Ashley Prange 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Kenleigh Cahalan 1 ; Ashley Prange 2
HBP: Kali Heivilin 1
Batting:
2B: Brady, Maya 1
HR: Woolery, Jordan 1
RBI: Woolery, Jordan 4 ; Powell, Kennedy 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Pola, Savannah 1 ; Brady, Maya 1 ; Grant, Megan 1 ; Woolery, Jordan 1 ; Palacios, Sharlize 1
