Coming off of a weekend where the UCLA softball team breezed
through the competition, the Bruins had an entirely different type
of game Wednesday against Cal State Fullerton. Thanks to the
brilliant pitching of sophomore Anjelica Selden and clutch
10th-inning hitting from the bottom of the order, the end result
was still the same for the Bruins. Junior center fielder Tara Henry
hit a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the 10th to lead UCLA
(20-1) to a 1-0 victory over Cal State Fullerton (13-11) at Easton
Stadium. The game went three extra innings and lasted a little over
three hours long. “I’m just so proud of how we gutted
it out,” UCLA coach Sue Enquist said. “I think this is
a pivotal game for us to draw on.” Selden’s performance
in the game was particularly gutty. The righty allowed just three
hits while going all 10 innings for the Bruins, and struck out 19
Titan hitters. She also fought her way out of several jams, the
biggest one coming in the top of the 10th inning. Selden hit Cal
State Fullerton’s eighth and ninth place hitters to start off
the 10th inning and the runners were sacrificed to second and third
by Titan leadoff hitter Crystal Vieyra. That’s when Selden
dug deep for her best stuff and struck out the next two Titan
hitters to send the game into the bottom of the 10th inning.
“I just relaxed and tried not to think about the runners on
base,” Selden said. “I gave myself a lot of positive
self-talk ““ I just told myself, “˜We’re gonna get
out of the inning.'” “These are the types of
games you hang onto as a pitcher,” Enquist said. “Jelly
did a great job of letting go of the mistakes and focusing on the
next pitch.” In the bottom of the 10th inning, a UCLA offense
that had left 16 runners on base finally scored its first run of
the game. Junior first baseman Lisa Dodd led off the inning with a
double into the left field gap and junior second baseman Celina
Rubalcaba followed with a perfect sacrifice bunt. That left the
door open for the ninth-place hitter Henry to be a hero. Henry came
through, lining Titan pitcher Marissa Marzan’s first pitch
over the head of Titan left fielder Ashley Van Boxmeer to win the
game. “She was just throwing all outside and I just figured
she was gonna bring it on the first pitch,” said Henry, who
couldn’t recall the last time she had recorded a walk-off
hit. “I was swinging and I just went with it.”
Henry’s hit turned what could have been a very frustrating
day for the Bruin offense into a positive result. “This team
is just in general great, and tracking and clawing to get a
win,” Henry said. “You have a sense in the dugout that
no one ever gives up and whatever it takes, this is a team that
does that and buys into that.”
SHORT HOPS: Junior second baseman Caitlin Benyi
returned to her customary third-spot Bruin lineup as the designated
player after missing the Bruins’ eight previous games with an
ankle injury. Benyi, who went 0-2 with two walks in the game, will
likely return to second base this weekend, according to Enquist.
The victory over Cal State Fullerton was the Bruins 15th
consecutive win. The Bruins take on Mississippi State Friday at
3:45 p.m. in the first of their five weekend games at the Long
Beach State Invitational.