Usually when a cleaning crew descends on a stadium after a game, it’s a subtle way of saying the game is over and it’s time to go home.
But following its 3-0 victory over CSU Bakersfield Wednesday, the UCLA softball team ignored the cleaning crews, ignored the loitering fans, and got on with practice.
“It wasn’t a punishment,” coach Kelly Inouye-Perez said. “It was an opportunity for us to sharpen up.”
After a two-hit shutout victory of a weaker team, one might wonder why an extra practice was necessary. Sometimes, offense just doesn’t show up. But the No. 4 Bruins weren’t content with just beating a team like the Roadrunners (6-6).
“The whole day was sloppy. We were fortunate we got a (win) out of it,” Inouye-Perez said.
“Our standard is higher (than that). It’s not about what happened in the game; it’s about where we are in the season.”
One example: in the bottom of the first, it seemed like UCLA was headed for another blowout. The bases were loaded with two out and one run already across. Junior Jennifer Schroeder singled to right field for the Bruin’s third straight hit and drove in freshman GiOnna DiSalvatore, making the score 2-0. But after DiSalvatore scored, sophomore Megan Langenfeld rounded third. Langenfeld was thrown out at home. The rally never started.
“Coach (Inouye-Perez) sent me to see if the outfielder could make the throw,” Langenfeld said after the game.
“(Bethany Snow) made a great throw and got me out. It was mostly to test their defense and to see how they would do with the pressure.”
“Early in the game, I wanted to be aggressive, so I ran (Langenfeld) into an out,” Inoyue-Perez said.
“Base running wasn’t an issue. … I’d be more disappointed (if) we didn’t go for it.”
Inouye-Perez was only slightly frustrated with the team’s lack of offense.
While they had 10 hits, three by freshman Samantha Camuso, they left six on base. They only capitalized on one of two errors by second baseman Cara Klein and had no three-ball counts. Thus, the drills after the game emphasized situational hitting and bunting.
The pitching game was similarly disappointing. In the circle, freshman starter Donna Kerr (6-1) threw four innings and gave up one hit. She fanned three but also had two walks.
“I did not have my best stuff,” Kerr said. “I tried to battle with what I did have.”
Inoyue-Perez appreciated Kerr’s effort, especially in light of the team’s performance.
“(I know) that if (Kerr) was on, if she had her A-game, it would have been a whole different picture,” she said.
“She did a wonderful job with her C-game. … There’s going to be times when the game’s going to be big and she’s not going to have it. And she still has to know how battle.”
Langenfeld pitched the other three innings in a predetermined substitution.