While the offense has begun to cool down for the UCLA softball
team, the Bruins continue to have the same winning results early in
the season.
Senior pitcher/first baseman Lisa Dodd pitched seven shutout
innings and senior third baseman Andrea Duran drove in both of
UCLA’s runs in the Bruins’ 2-0 victory over UC
Riverside (4-1) on Tuesday.
Even though the Bruins (8-1) came away victorious, it was a
tougher battle than it should have been, if history is any
indication.
The Bruins are 17-1 against the Highlanders all-time and have
not allowed a run to UC Riverside over a span of 13 games since
1977. Last season, the Bruins won the matchup with UC Riverside 3-0
while the Bruins defeated the Highlanders by scores of 20-0 and
15-0 in the 2003 season.
But Tuesday’s battle was not an easy game by any stretch
of the imagination. UC Riverside’s seven hits more than
doubled UCLA’s three hits, and the Highlanders had a prime
opportunity to win the game in the bottom of the seventh
inning.
The Bruins gave up two bloop singles and allowed a Highlander
runner to reach base safely on a sacrifice bunt to load the bases
for the Highlanders with nobody out. Fortunately for the Bruins,
Dodd stepped up to the challenge when her team needed her the
most.
Dodd got the next batter, Highlander junior second baseman
Hailey Marshall, to hit ground a ball right back to the mound. Dodd
then threw home to junior catcher Jaisa Creps to record the first
out of the inning. Next, Dodd struck out Highlander right fielder
April Murray looking and recorded the last out of the game on
another ground ball back to the mound by Highlander center fielder
Jamie Yee.
While the Bruin pitching and defense came up clutch, the offense
was barely able to generate anything the entire game and had to
manufacture its two runs.
The Bruins scored their first run in the third inning, when
junior center fielder Tara Henry walked, stole second, advanced to
third on an error, and was brought home on a sacrifice fly from
Duran.
In the fifth inning, junior first baseman Ashley Herrera led off
the inning with a walk, stole second, was advanced to third base on
a sacrifice bunt, and scored on Duran’s double.
Since opening up the season on a tear, UCLA’s offensive
output has decreased mightily in recent games. After scoring at
least eight runs in each of their first four games, the Bruins
haven’t scored more than two runs in any of their last five
games. Still, the Bruins’ stellar pitching has allowed them
to emerge victorious in four of those five games.
The Bruins’ next games will be this weekend at the Palm
Springs Classic, where they will face Ohio State, Louisiana State,
Kansas, Texas A&M and Oklahoma.