All year long, the UCLA softball team has had the same
consistent attitude.
It’s not about what lies ahead in the future, it’s
about the here and now ““ this pitch, this game.
That veteran demeanor has become wired in each of the
players’ brains since they entered the program and has landed
the Bruins their eighth consecutive appearance in the College World
Series.
UCLA withstood an inspired performance from South Florida,
defeating the Bulls 2-0 on Saturday and 3-1 on Sunday to win the
best-of-three Super Regional and stamp its ticket to Oklahoma.
“We have a tremendous amount of respect for every opponent
that we play,” UCLA coach Sue Enquist said. “This
group, including the coaching staff, just don’t take it for
granted that you’re going to automatically get (to the
College World Series).”
This year marked the first time South Florida had ever made it
beyond regional play in the history of the program. Though the
Bulls were heavy underdogs, they did not seem intimidated and kept
the top-seeded Bruins within striking distance all weekend.
“One thing the program convinced themselves of this
weekend was not just that you can get on the field with good teams,
but you can play with them,” South Florida coach Ken Eriksen
said. “I think now they have it in their mind that they also
had an opportunity to beat them.”
But in the end, clutch performances by the veteran Bruin players
outlasted the Bulls’ vigor. Sophomore Anjelica Selden got out
of numerous jams in the first game on Saturday to pitch a complete
shutout with nine strikeouts.
Senior catcher Emily Zaplatosch had a big two-out RBI single in
the first inning to give the Bruins a lead they would carry for the
rest of the Super Regionals.
After Selden got out of a bases-loaded, nobody-out jam in the
top of the sixth inning, junior first baseman Lisa Dodd hit a
two-out solo home run in the bottom half of the sixth inning to
seal the victory for the Bruins.
“We stole their momentum (in the top of the sixth inning)
and we came back in and got two quick outs and we just needed to
get something on our side,” Dodd said about the home run.
On Sunday, with the Bruin seniors playing their last home game
at Easton Stadium, senior third baseman Andrea Duran set the tone
early for the Bruins, blasting a leadoff home run to center field
in the top of the first inning and getting the Bruin players off
the bench for early congratulations.
“Her last first at-bat (at Easton Stadium) was a great
one,” Enquist said jokingly after the game.
Duran would later score on a triple as fellow senior Caitlin
Benyi singled her home in the top of the fifth inning.
Selden took care of the rest, allowing her lone run with two
outs in the bottom of the seventh inning and striking out ten
Bulls.
“There was just great leadership,” Enquist said.
“Jelly had command of her pitches; Andrea Duran was crucial
for us today, and we had a handful of players that came through
with some big hits.”
For the four seniors on the team, the wins against South Florida
were a great way to go out at home. They will now have a chance to
compete for their third national title in their four years at
UCLA.
“It means everything (to go back to the World
Series),” Duran said. “I just want to end on a good
note. It’s good that we’re going back, but no matter
how we do, it’s gonna be a great year for all of
us.”
The Bruins play the final opening game of the World Series on
Thursday at 6 p.m. against Tennessee. The Volunteers defeated
defending national champion Michigan 1-0 in the third game of a
best-of-three series on Sunday, knocking the Wolverines out of the
running for a second-straight title.
When Enquist and the players found out at the press conference
they would not cross paths with Michigan in the World Series this
year, they expressed a comical sigh of relief. The Wolverines beat
the Bruins in a grueling three-game title series last season,
winning in the tenth inning of the third game.