Tuesday, February 4, 1997
SOFTBALL:
UCLA has 24 runs in series after scoring four vs. LMUBy Melissa
Anderson
Daily Bruin Staff
After a lackadaisical performance in its season opener at Loyola
Marymount last week, the UCLA softball team came home for the first
time in grand style, literally.
Facing St. Mary’s Monday afternoon in a doubleheader at Easton
Stadium, sophomore Julie Marshall launched her first career grand
slam in the bottom of the first inning of the first game, paving
the way to an 11-0, 13-0 UCLA (4-0) sweep of the Gaels.
For the second time in four games, the Bruins had two home runs
in a single game when Kim Wuest added her first of the season and
the 16th of her Bruin career.
Freshman Christa Williams was on the mound for the Bruins in the
opener and did not disappoint in her home debut. The Olympic gold
medal winner gave up just two hits and struck out five in five
innings en route to recording her second shutout of the year.
The sole moment of excitement for St. Mary’s came in the first
at- bat, when leadoff hitter Gina Javier hit what should have been
a double off the left field wall. But UCLA left fielder Courtney
Dale made a spectacular play to throw Javier out at second, ending
the Gaels’ only real scoring threat of the afternoon.
Game 2 showcased another offensive explosion on the part of
UCLA, which scored six runs in the second inning to lead 9-0. By
the time the game was ended in the fifth due to the eight-run mercy
rule, the Bruins had racked up 16 hits, including a 3-for-3
performance by shortstop Christie Ambrosi.
Ambrosi was only a home run short of hitting for the cycle after
she lead off the game with a triple and followed up with a single
and a double in her next two at-bats.
Against LMU, the Bruins mustered just four runs in two games and
were forced to rely on their defense to defeat the Lions.
Monday, the UCLA defense was again near flawless, and the
offense finally awoke.
Dale moved to the mound from left field and recorded her first
victory on the mound, allowing one hit and striking out six.
"It’s just nice to see them play the way that I felt they were
capable of playing," UCLA head coach Sue Enquist said. "I honestly
thought this was the team that was going to show up against Loyola.
They’re just one game late, that’s all."