Friday, 5/16/97 Bruins’ championship campaign runs through bayou
SOFTBALL Appeal allows team chance to compete in College World
Series
By Melissa Anderson Daily Bruin Staff The road to the women’s
College World Series begins for the UCLA softball team this
afternoon against Nicholls State, and the Bruins are taking full
advantage of their inalienable rights – life, liberty and the
pursuit of an NCAA title. A week ago, it seemed those rights were
all going to be taken away from UCLA, which was penalized by the
NCAA because of financial-aid violations that occurred during their
1995 title run. But an appeal gave the Bruins new life and along
with it a shot at reclaiming a title for the 1995 team members who
saw theirs taken away. Seeded No. 1 in the Lafayette, La. regional,
the fifth-ranked Bruins (41-11) have tried to put the events of the
last two weeks behind them and to focus on getting back to Oklahoma
City, site of the World Series. However, they will first have to
get past the Lady Colonels today. "It’s important that we go in and
play our game," UCLA head coach Sue Enquist said. "We’re focusing
on what we need to do and not getting caught up in distractions."
In addition to the controversy surrounding last week’s ruling, the
Bruins are hoping that the partisan crowd in Lafayette will not add
to their list of distractions. In addition to Nicholls State of
Thibodaux, La., UCLA is joined by second-seeded Northeast Louisiana
and No. 3 seed and regional host Southwestern Louisiana. The winner
of the four-team double-elimination tournament will advance to the
World Series, beginning next Thursday. "That part of the country is
really excited about softball," Enquist said. "The postseason is
like a new season for all the teams involved. What the teams have
done in the past and what their regular season records are has
nothing to do with the postseason. "It’s going to be a real test,
but we are capable of doing some good things, and we look forward
to it." Nicholls State (48-21) has never faced the Bruins, and
though it lost 21 games on the year, it won nine of 10 contests to
finish off the regular season and win the Southland Conference
Tournament for the second straight year. The Lady Colonels have
appeared in three straight regionals, each time as a No. 4 seed.
That hasn’t kept them from winning postseason games, however. Last
season, they defeated Minnesota and Nebraska before losing to
Southwestern Louisiana in the regional final. Amy Berman of Newbury
Park is the leading hitter for Nicholls State, posting a .398 mark
in the regular season with four home runs and 38 RBI. The shortstop
is joined in the lineup by fellow Californian Stephanie Bloomdale
of Fullerton. Bloomdale leads the squad with 26 sacrifice hits,
batting .260. UCLA has plenty to counter with, especially now that
Julie Adams and Laurie Fritz have found their way back into the
lineup after long absences due to injury. That added spark, along
with the offensive domination of freshman Stacey Nuveman (batting
.471 with 17 home runs) and the pitching of fellow freshman Christa
Williams and senior B’Ann Burns, is what the Bruins are hoping will
carry them out of Louisiana and back to Oklahoma City. "I’m
cautious knowing that (Adams and Fritz) are not 100 percent, but
it’s great to see them out there and to know that they have been
cleared," Enquist said. "If we are going to win ballgames, though,
it is going to be a whole team effort." CHARLES KUO/Daily Bruin
Julie Adams is back in action after watching many of this season’s
games from the bench due to injuries. Related Links: NCAA