For three innings, it looked like Mississippi Valley State could
keep pace with top-seeded UCLA.
But then reality set in as the Bruins batted around in the
fourth inning en route to an 8-0 mercy-rule victory.
It is the first step for UCLA ““ the No. 2 seed nationwide
““ as it tries to win the weekend-long regional and defend its
College World Series title.
Keira Goerl, MVP of last year’s series, threw a no-hitter
as the Devilettes could not catch up with her fastball.
The Bruins (40-9) had to make adjustments before they got on the
scoreboard in the fourth inning, a strategy coach Sue Enquist said
is critical for postseason success.
“If we go up there and we continue to swing for power, we
could go extra innings with them,” Enquist said, “so I
admire my team’s ability to adjust and go small
ball.”
The Bruins could not score over the first three innings off of
Mississippi Valley State pitcher Nicole Henderson.
But Devilettes coach Lee Smith decided to pull Henderson in
favor of Elizabeth Imbert to start the fourth inning, following a
plan he devised before the game began.
“We were going to try and keep them off-balance, and we
were going to change pitchers,” Smith said.
The plan backfired as right fielder Lisa Dodd and first baseman
Claire Sua reached base with no outs.
Center fielder Stephanie Ramos drove in the first run with a
single to right field, scoring pinch runner Amanda Simpson. And
then the rally was on, with six of seven batters reaching base
against Imbert.
With the bases loaded and second baseman Caitlin Benyi, who
leads the team with 20 home runs, due up, Smith put Henderson back
in the game.
Benyi singled and eventually scored the Bruins’ seventh
run of the inning on a throwing error.
Completing the scoring, center fielder Stephanie Ramos homered
to right field to lead off the fifth for her third hit of the day.
The 8-0 lead invoked softball’s mercy rule, giving UCLA the
win.
“It just took us adjusting to the pitcher and what she was
throwing, not trying to overpower the ball and just put the ball in
play,” Ramos said.
Expectations were low for Mississippi Valley State (31-16),
which was making its first postseason appearance in school
history.
From the first at-bat, it was clear they had never faced a
pitcher like Goerl, one of the hardest throwers in college
softball.
She was in control for almost the entire game, striking out
eight batters. Mississippi Valley State catcher Natasha McFadden
was the only batter to reach base against Goerl, when she was hit
by a pitch in the second inning.
“Any no-hitter is awesome, but was it a great game?”
Goerl said. “Everyone picked me up behind me.”
The Devilettes won the Southwestern Athletic Conference’s
first season-ending tournament but looked overmatched.
For starters, they had to adjust to playing the defending
national champion Bruins at UCLA.
“I found it intimidating,” Henderson said. “I
grew up watching UCLA playing on TV. You never imagine that
you’re going to be here playing on the UCLA field, facing
UCLA.”
With the win, UCLA will face fourth-seeded Louisville (41-17) in
a winner’s bracket game today at 2:30 p.m. The Cardinals
defeated No. 5 seed Missouri 1-0 in eight innings Thursday.
“We need to figure out the opponent and adjust because
there are so many different looks in terms of of all the different
pitchers,” Enquist said.
She declined to comment specifically about today’s matchup
with Louisville.
Cardinals coach Sandy Pearsall said her team would have to pitch
extremely well Friday and turn around its struggling offense to
have a chance against UCLA, but the pressure is on the Bruins.
“We have nothing to lose,” Pearsall said. “We
just gotta play hard.”