There have been many great teams in the history of the
Women’s College World Series. But as it begins today, few
teams have entered as ready and prepared as this year’s UCLA
squad.
If ever a softball team was built to win the World Series, it is
this team. UCLA has great hitting, defense and pitching. But
that’s not all that distinguishes the Bruins from the rest of
the tournament field. They have accumulated an enormous amount of
experience and mental toughness over the years, which comes in
handy during the World Series.
If you tally the total number of games played at the World
Series by each player on the UCLA roster, you get an amazing,
unheard-of 122. The Bruins, who have seemingly made ASA Hall of
Fame Stadium their second home, return every player who played in
the championship series against Michigan a year ago. On top of the
players from last year, 10 current Bruins played on the 2004
national championship team, four of them also playing on the 2003
team that won it all.
“When you have seniors that don’t have a sense of
having to prove something, you don’t worry about them trying
to grab it too tightly,” UCLA coach Sue Enquist said.
Experience is crucial at the World Series. The environment there
is different than the rest of the season. Oklahoma City, Okla.,
supports the World Series well, filling up the facility for most of
the games, with the bigger games known to attract more fans than
there are seats. On top of that, there is increased media coverage
that isn’t seen during the season, with ESPN and other media
treating the World Series as a huge event.
“We don’t make anything bigger than what it
is,” senior third baseman Andrea Duran said. “A lot of
us are experienced in that now, and we’re just going to go in
with a calm kind of confidence.”
The games change significantly on the field. Every team is
strong, making nearly every game a close one. Every team throws its
ace every game, making the games more low scoring than they were
the rest of the season. Executing every bunt and tough defensive
play becomes that much more crucial.
And it’s the little things that make this year’s
Bruins different than those in years past. They’ve gotten
ridiculously good at moving runners over and making tough defensive
plays. UCLA’s hitters are extremely patient: working the
count, fouling off pitches, and frustrating some of the
nation’s best pitchers.
The Bruins don’t have any of the star players of the
tournament field. Texas’ Cat Osterman, Tennessee’s
Monica Abbott and Arizona’s Alicia Hollowell, all pitchers,
were the three finalists for the player of the year award. But
UCLA’s Anjelica Selden has been just as dominant as those
three, and she is at her best when working out of a jam. She
retired 17 straight South Florida hitters with runners in scoring
position.
“I’m pretty comfortable in those situations,”
Selden said. “I don’t get nervous. I like the
challenge, and I think it gives me more focus when I’m
pitching.”
The Bruins don’t have either of the star hitters at the
World Series. Tennessee’s Sarah Fekete and Arizona’s
Caitlin Lowe have received more attention nationally than any of
UCLA’s elite hitters.
But UCLA doesn’t need one of those stars because the
Bruins, more than any other World Series team, have no weakness at
all. Every hitter in the Bruin lineup is dangerous, even the ones
in the bottom of the order. Junior outfielder Tara Henry, the ninth
hitter, was second in the Pac-10 during conference play in batting
average. Junior Ashley Herrera, the eighth hitter, hit a grand slam
at the final game of Regionals and hit a home run at last
year’s World Series.
It’s tough to win the Women’s College World Series.
Even for UCLA, it’s by no means a guarantee. But UCLA is
definitely the favorite. This team has everything it takes to
win.
E-mail Quiñonez at gquinonez@media.ucla.edu.