University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Softball Hosts Arizona Schools This Weekend in Season Finale
May 6, 1998
Saturday, May 9
No. 1 Arizona
Easton Stadium
11:00 a.m.
Sunday, May 10
No. 16 Arizona State
Easton Stadium
1:00 p.m.
THIS WEEK-In its biggest home weekend of the season, the UCLA softball team will round out the 1998 season this Saturday and Sunday with a pair of doubleheaders against No. 1 Arizona on Saturday beginning at 11:00 a.m. and No. 16 Arizona State on Sunday beginning at 1:00 p.m. In honor of Mothers Day, the first 100 mothers in attendance at Sundays game will receive a free carnation.
MOST RECENT-UCLA went 2-2 in Oregon this past weekend after splitting doubleheaders at both Oregon and Oregon State. On Saturday against Oregon, rightfielder Lupe Brambila got the Bruins off to a quick start in game one as she hit a grand slam in the top of the first inning, giving the Bruins an early 4-0 advantage. UCLA would add two more in the second when Nicole Odom hit a two-run shot for her fourth home run of the year. Casey Hiraiwa would knock in UCLAs seventh and final run of game one with an RBI double in the third as UCLA went on to the 7-4 victory. Entering in relief of Bruin starter Erin Weiler, Stephanie Swenson pitched five complete innings, giving up two runs on four hits, for her seventh win on the year. In game two, however, UCLA was held to just one run on three hits as Oregon bounced back for the 3-1 victory. Similar to game one against Oregon the previous day, UCLA got out to an early lead on Sunday against Oregon State, scoring runs in the first and second innings. Odom and Laurie Fritz each recorded RBI singles in the first and second innings respectively, putting the Bruins up 2-0. UCLA would add another run in the sixth as Karen Hoshizakis sacrifice fly scored Odom from third, helping UCLA to the 3-0 victory. Weiler and Swenson combined for the shutout, holding the Ducks to just two hits. With the win, Swenson registered her eighth win of the season and second in as many days. Despite strong performances by Odom (2-for-3) and Casey Hiraiwa (3-for-3) in game two, the Bruins had a tough time getting on the board as they fell to the Beavers 2-0.
UCLA NOTES-The Bruins enter Saturdays game with Arizona 17-24 overall and 7-15 in Pac-10 play. After its four games this past weekend, UCLA now has four players over the .300 mark. Senior first baseman Kim Wuest continues to lead the team in several offensive categories, including batting (.347), hits (41), home runs (11), RBI (27) and doubles (7). She also leads the Bruins with 11 multiple hit and six multiple RBI games. Joining Wuest in the .300 club are third baseman Nicole Odom (.306), second baseman Laurie Fritz (.304) and shortstop Casey Hiraiwa (.300). Through 35 games this season (she missed six due to a shoulder injury), Fritz has recorded 31 hits and 12 RBI, including a team-high five triples. Odom is second on the squad in home runs (4) and RBI (16). She joins Wuest as the only Bruins to start all 41 games this season. Hiraiwa, UCLAs starting shortstop since April 18, just moved over the .300 mark after an exceptional game one against Oregon, going 4-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored. On the mound, Stephanie Swenson, Erin Weiler and Lyndsey Gayer have all shared the pitching duties this season. Swenson is UCLAs top pitcher with an 8-8 record and a team leading 2.30 ERA. Weiler, who leads the team in appearances with 23, stands at 7-9 with a 2.80 ERA. Gayer is 2-7 on the season with a 4.28 ERA.
No. 1 ARIZONA-The Wildcats enter Saturdays game with UCLA as the No. 1 ranked team in the country with a 57-3 overall record and a 23-1 mark in conference action. Following its game with UCLA on Saturday, the Wildcats will travel to Washington for a doubleheader on Sunday. UCLA leads the series history 46-32. Arizona swept UCLA earlier this season in Tucson, taking game one 16-3 (5) and game two 11-9. The Wildcats are coming off sweeps over Cal and Stanford this past weekend in the Bay Area. Senior outfielder Alison McCutcheon is this weeks Pac-10 Player of the Week (her second of the season) after going 15-for-22 (.682) with 10 runs scored, two RBI and 12 stolen bases in wins over ASU, Stanford and Cal.
No. 16 ARIZONA STATE-The Sun Devils enter the weekend 36-22 overall and 8-16 in Pac-10 play. Prior to its game with UCLA on Sunday, ASU will take on No. 4 Washington in Seattle on Saturday. UCLA leads the series history 61-13. The two teams split earlier this season in Tempe, with UCLA taking game one 6-1 and ASU taking game two 2-0. The Sun Devils are coming off two losses to No. 9 Stanford and a sweep over No. 21 Cal in the Bay Area. Like Arizonas McCutcheon, ASU pitcher Roxanne Tsosie is coming off Pac-10 Pitcher of the Week honors for the second time this season. She is fresh off her second career no-hitter after shutting out Cal in game one this past Saturday. In game two against the Bears, Tsosie entered in the sixth inning and threw two more scoreless innings for her second victory of the afternoon.
SPLIT DECISION-The Bruins enter this weekend 17-24 overall and 7-15 in Pac-10 play. Not indicated in the record, however, is that the Bruins have managed a split against every Pac-10 team except Cal (two games were cancelled due to rain) and Arizona, which the Bruins host this weekend. Since the conference season began on March 29, UCLA has taken single games from No. 3 Washington, No. 7 ASU, No. 9 Stanford, No. 18 Oregon State and No. 23 Oregon. With two splits this past weekend in Oregon, UCLA has taken a game in seven of 11 Pac-10 doubleheaders this season.
IN THE RECORD BOOK-With her home run against Santa Clara on Jan. 25, Bruin senior Kim Wuest etched her name into the UCLA record books as the teams 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. Wuest currently has 30 for her career. Along with home runs, Wuest has also climbed from 11th to seventh on the career RBI chart with 107. Odom, who is just ahead of Wuest in career runs batted in with 109, is seventh on the career hit list with 196. Laurie Fritz is tied with Lisa Fernandez and Sandra Arledge for eighth on the career triples list with nine.
TOP-NOTCH COMPETITON-With five of seven Pac-10 Conference opponents ranked in the USA Today /NFCA Top 25, UCLA has been forced to face some tough competition this season. In fact, 21 of UCLAs last 27 games have been against ranked opponents. Despite the difficult schedule, the Bruins have managed to earn wins against six top-25 teams. Ten of UCLAs last 12 opponents have been ranked in the top 25.
NATIONAL RECOGNITION-With no home runs this past weekend, Bruin first baseman Kim Wuest slipped a notch from fifth to sixth in the country in home runs per game. Her 11 homers in 41 games this season gives her an 0.29 average. Heading into last week, UCLA second baseman Laurie Fritz was 13th in the nation in triples (0.17), however she is not listed in this weeks rankings.
HEAD COACH SUE ENQUIST-Sue Enquist is in her second season at the helm of the nations 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 469-94, with three NCAA and four Pac-10 titles.
UCLAs Probable Lineup1. Laurie Fritz 2B 2. Casey Hiraiwa SS 3. Kim Wuest 1B 4. Nicole Odom 3B 5. Lupe Brambila RF 6. Marin Noack DP 7. Karen Hoshizaki LF 8. Carissa Millsap C 9. Danielle Martin CF Stephanie Swenson P Erin Weiler P Lyndsey Gayer P 1998 USA Today/NFCA Poll As of May 6 1. Arizona 2. Michigan 3. Fresno State 4. Washington 5. Nebraska 6. South Florida 7. Oklahoma 8. Texas 9. Stanford 10. Hawaii 11. DePaul 12. LSU 13. Oklahoma State 14. Florida State 15. Long Beach State 16. Arizona State 17. Texas Tech 18. Cal State Northridge 19. Iowa 20. Illinois-Chicago 21. Massachusetts 22. Minnesota 23. Florida 24. California 25. Missouri