University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Women's Softball Returns Home to Face Notre Dame
March 10, 1998
Tues., March 10 Notre Dame Easton Stadium 1:00 p.m.
THIS WEEK - After two consecutive weeks on the road, the UCLA softball team (9-7; 0-0 Pac-10) returns home to host Notre Dame this Tuesday afternoon at UCLA's Easton Softball Stadium.
MOST RECENT- Missing two of its starters in second baseman Laurie Fritz (dislocated shoulder) and centerfielder Danielle Martin (illness) UCLA went 1-3 at the Fresno State Classic this past weekend.
vs. Tennessee -- UCLA opened the classic with a close, 3-2 extra-inning loss to the Volunteers. With the score tied at two apiece after seven innings of play, the international tie- break rule went into effect as each team placed a runner on second base to start the eighth inning. Tennessee managed a run in the top of the inning, then shut the Bruins down in order to secure the slim 3-2 victory.
vs. Indiana -- Because rain cancelled play on the tournament's opening day, UCLA was forced to play Indiana immediately after its extra-inning game against Tennessee on Friday. After being held scoreless through four innings of play, UCLA got on the board in the fifth inning when Kim Wuest singled home Karen Hoshizaki, who had previously tripled to right field. The Bruins managed another run in the sixth to close the score to 5-2, however Indiana scored again in the seventh and went on for the 6-2 win.
vs. No. 22 Kansas -- Against the Jayhawks on Saturday, the Bruins came out strong as they exploded for three runs on four hits in the bottom of the first inning and added three more in the third for a comfortable 6-0 advantage. Kansas would get three of its own in the fourth, however Bruin pitcher Erin Weiler shut down the Jayhawks in the fifth, sixth and seventh to notch the complete game victory. In the win, center fielder Jenna Shih, filling in for an injured Danielle Martin, went 2-for-3 with an RBI.
vs. No. 5 Fresno State -- In its strongest showing of the tournament, UCLA went toe-to-toe with No. 5 Fresno State in the Bruins' final game of the classic on Sunday. After the Bulldogs broke a scoreless tie in the top of the fourth to go up 1-0, UCLA's Carissa Millsap blasted a two-run single down the left field line, scoring Kim Wuest from third and Nicole Odom from second. The Bulldogs, however, tied the game 2-2 in the fifth and then added another in the eighth, as UCLA fell 3-2 and dropped its second extra-inning game of the classic.
FIGHTING IRISH NOTESRanking : Unranked
1998 Record: 5-10 Overall; 0-0 Big East
Top Player: Notre Dame is led by senior centerfielder Jenn Giampaolo. Through 15 games this season, she is batting .333 with 20 hits and four RBI.
Series History: In the only meeting ever between the two teams, UCLA defeated Notre Dame 12-0 at the South Florida Tournament back in 1994.
BRUINS HONORED- Junior rightfielder Lesley Feldman was UCLA's lone selection to the Fresno State Classic All-Tournament Team. Her two-RBI single in the bottom of the first against Kansas, 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. Along with Feldman, Nicole Odom, Laurie Fritz and Kim Wuest were selected to the Campbell/Cartier All-Tournament Team Feb. 19-22 in San Diego.
SENIOR LEADERSHIP- With one of the youngest teams in recent years, UCLA seniors Kim Wuest, Nicole Odom and Laurie Fritz have all stepped up and performed well this season. Wuest currently leads the Bruins in nearly every statistical offensive category as she owns a .378 batting average with 17 hits, four home runs, 11 RBI and three doubles. Her .711 slugging percentage and .517 on base percentage are also tops on the team. Odom, after sitting out the entire '97 season with a shoulder injury, is just below Wuest with a .362 batting average, 17 hits, two home runs and seven RBI. Fritz, who had to miss the Fresno State Classic with a shoulder injury, is third on the team in batting with a .361 average, and joins Karen Hoshizaki as the team leader in triples with two.
STEPPING UP-With Laurie Fritz out with a dislocated shoulder and Danielle Martin unable to make the trip due to illness, two Bruins stepped up and played well this past weekend in Fresno. Jenna Shih filled in for Martin in centerfield, going 3-for-12, including two hits and an RBI in UCLA's 6-3 win over Kansas. Casey Hiraiwa filled the void at second base and in the leadoff position going 4-for-14 with a run scored and no errors after playing every inning of every game.
FOR THE RECORD-With her home run against Santa Clara on 1/25, UCLA senior Kim Wuest has etched her name into the UCLA record books as UCLA'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. Along with home runs, Wuest has also moved up from 11th to ninth on the career RBI chart as she now has 91 for her career. Senior Nicole Odom has also moved from 13th to fourth place on the career hit list with 179.
* 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.