Softball heads to tournament in Sin City, hoping to improve game

After a blemished opening weekend for the No. 4 UCLA softball team, the Bruins are hoping a trip to Sin City will be a visit they won’t regret.

The Bruins (3-1) hit the road for the first time in the young season, scheduled to play five games in the UNLV Louisville Slugger Desert Classic in Las Vegas. The team will first take on tournament host UNLV today at 6 p.m. and Northwestern at 8:15 p.m., followed by a pair of Saturday games against Michigan and Kentucky and a Sunday finale against South Dakota State.

The Bruins have already been afflicted by a minor dent in their season, having suffered a season-opening 2-1 loss against then-unranked Purdue last Saturday. All the same, the team understands that, though there is always room for improvement, one loss this early on in the season won’t make or break its title hopes.

“Championship rings aren’t handed out during the first weekend (of the season),” assistant coach Gina Vecchione said. “It’s a work in progress. … If we’re not perfect, then we’ll continue to work on executing the fundamentals of the game.”

Whether or not such improvements will be made remains to be seen during a five-game swing that is sure to provide the Bruins with some stiff competition.

First up for UCLA is a UNLV team that is 3-1 and has the best record among Mountain West Conference teams. As their record indicates, it has been smooth sailing for the Rebels, who have scored at least seven runs in each of the first four games of the season. Not surprisingly, UNLV outfielder Alyssia De La Torre and pitcher Traci Odegard won Mountain West Conference Player and Pitcher of the Week honors.

As one of two marquee opponents for the Bruins during the five-game stretch, No. 13 Northwestern comes into tournament play with a 2-2 record. Although the Bruins have won the last three matchups against the Wildcats, a fourth consecutive UCLA victory won’t come easily. Senior shortstop Tammy Williams leads the offense with a .385 batting average, while junior pitcher Lauren Delaney has been strong in the circle with a 0.82 ERA.

The other key opponent, No. 6 Michigan, may be the Bruins’ biggest test over the five-game stretch. At 4-1, the Wolverines have a freshman designated player, Amanda Chidester, who is batting .563 with six RBI through five games. In the circle, Michigan boasts two top-notch hurlers in Nikki Nemitz and Jordan Taylor, who have posted 0.42 and 0.40 ERAs, respectively.

The Bruins round out tournament play matched up against two unranked teams. Kentucky, who has yet to play a game so far this year, finished last season 17-37 overall and just 3-25 in the Southeastern Conference. South Dakota State is 1-3 in the season and has never played against UCLA in the past.

If last weekend’s games were any indication, the Bruins are well aware that they must guard themselves against any letdowns this weekend.

“We need to make adjustments sooner in the game and not wait until the sixth or seventh innings to score,” junior pitcher Megan Langenfield said. “Going on the road is always fun, but we’re looking forward to seeing how we improve from the past weekend.”

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