University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Women's Softball Prepares for Ranked Opponents
April 15, 1998
UCLA Quick Facts
- 1998 Overall Record 11-14
- 1998 Pac-10 Record 1-7
- Last Year's Record 49-14 / 21-7 (Pac-10)
- Last Year's National Finish 2nd NFCA
- Head Coach Sue Enquist
- Career Record 463-84 in 10th year
This Week
Wed., April 15 # 25 CSUN Northridge 1:30 p.m.
Sat., April 18 # 17 Oregon Easton Stadium 11:00 a.m.
Sun., April 19 # 21 Oregon State Easton Stadium 1:00 p.m.
THIS WEEK...The Bruins round out their 1998 non-conference schedule when they travel to Northridge for a doubleheader with the No. 25 Matadors this Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. UCLA returns to Pac-10 action this weekend when it hosts No. 17 Oregon on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. and No. 21 Oregon State on Sunday beginning at 1:00 p.m.
MOST RECENT...UCLA dropped both games of a doubleheader (9-1, 2-1) to No. 4 Washington this past Saturday in Seattle. In UCLA's 9-1 opening game loss, Kim Wuest recorded the Bruins' only hit as she knocked out her eighth home run of the season to prevent the shutout. With the loss, UCLA pitcher Erin Weiler fell to 6-6 on the season. Game two was much different, however, as the Huskies needed some last-inning heroics to defeat the Bruins 2-1. Again, Kim Wuest provided UCLA's lone run with a fourth-inning home run to put the Bruins up 1-0. Washington would answer with a run in the bottom of that inning as the game would eventually go into the seventh tied at one apiece. Centerfielder Leah Francis, however, came up with a two-out, RBI single in the bottom of the seventh to power the No. 4 Huskies to the slim 2-1 victory.
UCLA NOTES...UCLA is led in hitting by first baseman Kim Wuest, who is batting .444 with 32 hits, 20 RBI and nine home runs. She leads the team in every major offensive category and currently owns a 12-game hitting streak and three-game home run streak. She is currently third in the nation in home run average (0.38) and ranks fourth in the Pac-10 in batting and third in home runs. With her two home runs against Washington this past weekend, she has hit a home run in four of UCLA's last five games. Following Wuest is second baseman Laurie Fritz (.339) and shortstop Nicole Odom (.292). Fritz leads the team in triples with three and Odom is second on the squad in RBI with 11. In the pitching department, Stephanie Swenson owns a 1.58 ERA and is 4-5 on the season, however hasn't pitched in over a month due to injury. Erin Weiler is 6-6 with a 2.58 ERA and freshman Lyndsey Gayer stands at 1-3. Gayer picked up her first collegiate win in UCLA's 2-0 victory over Arizona State on April 4.
NORTHRIDGE NOTES...The Matadors enter the game with UCLA ranked No. 25 in the nation with a 26-15 overall and 13-7 Big West record. UCLA leads the series 22-7. The Bruins went 2-0 against the Matadors in 1997, winning 9-2 and 8-3 in Northridge. UCLA's last loss to Northridge was a 1-0 defeat back in 1995. Elizabeth Sanches leads the team in batting (.370) and base hits (37), while Chelo Lopez is the team leader in home runs (8) and RBI (31).
OREGON NOTES...The Ducks enter their game with UCLA ranked No. 17 in the country with a 32-17 overall and 4-6 Pac-10 record. UCLA leads the series 37-4. The Bruins went 5-0 against the Ducks in 1997, including two run-rule games of 19-0 and 13-1. UCLA's last loss to Oregon was a 3-2 defeat in Eugene on May 11, 1994. Triawn Custer and Jill Robinson have accounted for most of the Ducks' offensive power this season. Custer leads the team in three major categories, including batting (.387), RBI (30) and home runs (6). Robinson is the team leader in hits with 50 and is right behind Custer with 28 RBI.
OREGON STATE NOTES...Prior to its game with UCLA, Oregon State will host Portland State on Wednesday and travel to Seattle for a doubleheader with Washington on Saturday. The Beavers are currently ranked No. 21 in the country with a 22-13 overall and 5-5 Pac-10 record. UCLA leads the series 48-0. Tarrah Beyster is coming off a big weekend against Oregon in which she earned Pac-10 Player of the Week honors. In two games against the Ducks, she was 4-for-5 with two home runs two runs scored and three RBI. Beyster also pitched both games and picked up two complete-game victories to improve to 18-7 while recording 20 strikeouts in the process.
FOR THE RECORD...With her home run against Santa Clara on 1/25, Bruin senior Kim Wuest etched her name into the UCLA record books as the team's all-time career home run leader with 21. She surpassed current UCLA assistant coach Jennifer Brundage and redshirt Stacey Nuveman, who were tied atop the chart with 20 apiece. She currently has 28 for her career. Along with home runs, Wuest has also moved up from 11th to eighth on the career RBI chart as she now has an even100. Senior Nicole Odom has also moved from 13th to ninth place on the career hit list with 183, just one hit shy of tying Kathi Evans for eighth. Odom is also in seventh place on the career RBI chart with an even 101.
BRUINS HONORED...Following UCLA's trip to Fresno, junior rightfielder Lesley Feldman was selected to the Fresno State Classic All-Tournament Team. Her two-RBI single in the bottom of the first against Kansas on March 7, helped UCLA to an early 3-0 lead and an eventual 6-3 victory. For the four-game classic, she was 2-for-5 with two RBI and no errors. Nicole Odom, Laurie Fritz and Kim Wuest were selected to the Campbell/Cartier All-Tournament Team Feb. 19-22 in San Diego.
HEAD COACH SUE ENQUIST...Sue Enquist is in her second season at the helm of the nation's winningest softball program after sharing the role for eight seasons with former coach Sharron Backus. A member of the U.S. National Team Coaching Staff, associated with the 1996 gold medal winning U.S. Olympic Team, Enquist is in her 19th year as a member of the UCLA coaching staff and 23rd as either a player of coach. One of only three softball players in the prestigious UCLA Hall of Fame, Enquist owns an overall record of 463-84, with three NCAA and four Pac-10 titles.
* The 1997 National runner-up UCLA Bruins will not be eligible to participate in the 1998 postseason, however, will return to tournament action in 1999.
1998 USA Today/NFCA Poll
As of April 8
1. Arizona
2. Michigan
3. Fresno State
4. Washington
5. Oklahoma
6. South Florida
7. Nebraska
8. Oklahoma State
9. Texas
Arizona State
11. Hawai`i
12. Stanford
13. LSU
14. Missouri
15. Florida State
16. Minnesota
17. Oregon
18. Long Beach State
19. Texas Tech
20. Cal
21. Oregon State
22. Iowa
23. Illinois-Chicago
24. USL
25. Cal State Northridge