The UCLA softball team passed its first true test of the season
by beating No. 7 Georgia three times over the weekend at the Stacy
Winsberg Memorial Tournament in Lakewood. However, the No. 2 Bruins
also lost their first game of the season, as they split two games
against unranked Cal State Fullerton over the weekend. Only one of
the three games against Georgia was close ““ a 4-3, 8-inning
victory in the first game the two teams played on Friday. UCLA
crushed the Bulldogs in the second game of a doubleheader on
Friday, 7-0, and the Bruins also beat Georgia on Saturday 6-0. The
Bruins fell to Cal State Fullerton on Saturday 4-3, but rebounded
to beat the Titans on Sunday 6-0. In the close game on Friday, the
Bruins had to comeback twice late in the game. Losing 2-0 in the
bottom of the seventh inning and down to their last three outs,
UCLA rallied, scoring runs on a fielder’s choice by Andrea
Duran and a two-out double by pitcher Lisa Dodd. After allowing a
run in the top of the eighth, the Bruins were again down to their
last three outs. But two RBI-doubles from Emily Zaplatosch and
Whitney Holum would ensure UCLA the victory. Freshman pitcher
Anjelica Selden shined in the other two UCLA wins over Georgia,
pitching complete-game shutouts in both games. In 14 innings Selden
struck out 27 batters while allowing only eight hits without a walk
or a run. UCLA showed a team effort in the last two wins against
Georgia, as no Bruin scored more than one run in either game. Also,
Jodie Legaspi, Ashley Herrera and Kristen Dedmon each clubbed a
home run against the Bulldogs. In the loss to Cal State Fullerton,
the Titans scored one run in the second inning and three in the
fourth. The Bruins would score a run in the fifth to make it 4-3,
but would not mount a serious rally after that. Dodd struggled at
times over the weekend. In her two starts on Friday and Saturday,
Dodd pitched 14 innings, allowing seven runs on 13 hits, walking
five batters while striking out only four. In Sunday’s game,
the Bruin offense scored early with five runs in the first two
innings, highlighted by Duran’s two-run home run to add to
the offense. Selden pitched her third shutout of the weekend,
striking out 10 without giving up a walk, allowing only seven
hits.
BENYI RETURNS: The weekend marked the return of Caitlin Benyi to
UCLA’s lineup, who had sat out the first five games of the
season with a leg injury. Benyi will be a welcomed addition to the
Bruins’ offense, as she led the nation in home runs in 2004
with 24. Over the weekend, Benyi went 4-for-10 and collected two
RBI with two runs scored.