Shortstop Jodie Legaspi of the UCLA softball team had just made
the biggest play of the game, throwing the potential game-winning
run out at the plate after fielding a tough grounder. One play
later, she made the biggest play of the game again. The next batter
hit a pop fly toward the scaffolding by the bullpen. It was no
problem for Legaspi, who caught it at the wall after running all
the way from shortstop to get the Bruins out of the seventh inning
on Sunday. UCLA scored in the bottom of the inning, giving the
Bruins a win over No. 2 Arizona for the second consecutive day.
“Defense wins championships,” Legaspi said.
“You’ve got to make plays to help your pitchers
out.” Legaspi shone at the plate as well, hitting a home run
in the first inning after Emily Zaplatosch hit a three-run homer.
It hadn’t always been that way this season for Legaspi, who
is hitting only .280 this year after hitting .361 a year ago as a
freshman. But Legaspi is part of a recently hot Bruin offense that
appears to have finally gotten out of its slump.
“Jodie’s coming into her own,” UCLA coach Sue
Enquist said. “I’m really proud of her coming through
like this.” Legaspi had been 1-for-18 in Pac-10 play before
going 3-for-6 against Arizona. “This weekend was very
big,” Legaspi said. “This sets the tone for the second
half of the season.”
HITTING HOLLOWELL: Arizona pitcher Alicia Hollowell is
considered to be among the nation’s elite, but UCLA has done
very well against her. In her last five starts against the Bruins,
Hollowell has given up 22 runs in 31 innings, compiling an ERA of
4.97. Against non-UCLA opponents, Hollowell has an ERA under 1.00
over that span. The Bruins didn’t see much of her on
Saturday, as Hollowell was taken out after allowing four runs in
four innings. “We felt confident,” Enquist said on
Sunday. “We were glad to have the opportunity to see her out
there again. She needed to have a chance to redeem herself.”
After UCLA scored four runs in the first inning against her Sunday,
Hollowell didn’t allow another run until the seventh.
“I was disappointed with our hitting,” Enquist said.
“We were out of our game plan, and swinging at high
strikes.”
SHORT HOPS: UCLA sold out both of the Arizona games, having an
announced attendance of 1,328 at both games. … The weekend marked
the first UCLA games at Easton Stadium with the finished seating
renovations.