Goerl is pitcher of the week
Keira Goerl was named pitcher of the week in the Pac-10 for
April 23-29. She started off her week against UC Riverside on
Wednesday pitching three innings of no-hit ball, taking credit for
the Bruins’ 12-0 win.
She came back strong again over the weekend and pitched all
seven innings in the win against Cal, this time allowing only three
hits.
Against Stanford on Saturday, Goerl once again dominated, giving
up only one hit in the five-inning affair. On Sunday Goerl pitched
four more no-hit innings before giving way to Courtney Dale, who
closed out the game and gave UCLA the 2-0 win. She pitched 19 of
the possible 29 innings in the week, and 16 of the 19 this weekend,
not allowing a single run and giving up only four hits. She now
leads the Bruins with her 21-1 record and still has a microscopic
0.98 ERA.
Goerl has gone the distance in 16 of her 22 starts and has
recorded seven shutouts. Most importantly, with Amanda Freed
resting her sore arm, the freshman has stepped up to keep the
Bruins on the winning track.
Watley sparks offense
Sophomore Natasha Watley has continued to tear up the base-paths
this year after having a sensational freshman season in which she
set the all-time UCLA career steals record. She broke the previous
career record of 28 by swiping 32 in only her first season.
Watley has already stolen another 43 bases in only 47 attempts,
and in the process has also set the Pac-10 record with her
incredible 32-game hitting streak, the fifth-best in NCAA Division
I history.
She currently leads the team with a .432 average and has scored
67 runs, 21 more than any other Bruin, and she continues to be the
catalyst at the top of the order. Watley has also shown some power
with seven doubles, five triples and two home runs. In addition to
all that, she is fourth on the Bruins leaderboard with 33 RBIs this
year, quite an achievement for a leadoff hitter. She has also been
a solid and capable shortstop as evidenced by her .950 fielding
percentage.
The last home stand for seniors
The seniors on the team are getting prepared to play their last
regular season games at Easton Stadium this weekend against Oregon
and No. 14 Oregon State. The four seniors are pitchers Courtney
Dale and Stephanie Swenson, catcher/first baseman Marin Noack and
outfielder Lupe Brambila.
Dale has been an integral part of the team this year, appearing
in 17 games as a pitcher and posting an impressive 5-0 record with
a 1.00 ERA. She has also played in the outfield and has a .307
average with seven doubles and 32 RBIs.
Swenson has pitched well in her limited action. She owns a 6-0
record with a 1.35 ERA in her eight appearances. In her five
starts, she has three complete games, including two shutouts.
Noack has only appeared in seven games with nine at bats this
year but she has provided leadership and experience on a team
loaded with freshman and sophomores.
Lupe Brambila, a 1998 walk-on, has a .286 average and has
appeared in 50 games, starting in 46. She has four home runs and
five doubles including a game-winning walk-off homer in the bottom
of the seventh inning at the Hedrick’s Hallowell Chevrolet
Classic on March 3.
Home run race
The home run lead for the Bruins this season has see-sawed
between Tairia Mims, who has 15, and Stacey Nuveman, who has 14.
Mims has benefited from pitchers pitching around Nuveman (she
already has 59 walks, many of them intentional).
But Mims has already established herself as a power threat to be
reckoned with. She had nine home runs last year as a freshman,
while Nuveman’s total of 51 (20 in 1997, 31 in 1999) in only
two years has her currently fourth on the NCAA career list. If she
continues her current pace, she will end up on top of the list by
the end of her career.
Notes compiled by Michael Sneag, Daily Bruin Contributor.