As far as victories go, the UCLA softball team scored early and often this past weekend.
The No. 6 Bruins (13-2) cruised through the Cathedral City Softball Classic in decisive fashion, sweeping the five tournament games, none more impressive than the 4-1 win over No. 1 Alabama on Friday.
UCLA struck early against the top team in the country when the Bruins scored three runs in the first inning against Alabama’s junior pitcher Charlotte Morgan, who came out of the game after having recorded just one out in the first.
The offense scored an insurance run in the second inning, and sophomore hurler Donna Kerr gave up just three hits and one run and struck out seven batters on her way to a complete game, leaving the Crimson Tide feeling a bit blue for a change as they were dealt their first loss of the season.
“It was a good game for us to build our confidence,” Kerr said. “We knew that we had to come out hard and come out strong, and we did.”
As with any championship-contending team, however, the Bruins said they maintained their confidence and composure, refusing to let rankings affect the way they play.
“In our minds, we are always the team to beat,” coach Kelly Inouye-Perez said. “We feel that rankings are something that we never focus on. Alabama has a lot of talent and has been able to be successful. With that said, I don’t believe it was an upset by any means. It was just a great game, and the Bruins came out on top because we executed.”
The Bruins knocked off another ranked team on Saturday, defeating No. 15 Massachusetts 4-2 before steamrolling North Carolina State 12-1. The win over the Wolfpack was highlighted by senior second baseman Amanda Kamekona’s first career grand slam and freshman catcher Dani Yudin’s first career homerun, a three-run jack to right field.
Determined to depart the desert with a perfect weekend, the Bruins hit the field again on Sunday, defeating Maryland, 5-0, and No. 12 Fresno State, 10-2. Junior pitcher Megan Langenfield dominated the first game against the Terrapins, fanning six batters and allowing just one hit over seven innings. In the second game against the Bulldogs, the offense came through, racking up 13 hits, eleven of which were singles.
Overall, the UCLA offense continued to produce runs with power. The Bruins belted a total of nine home runs over the weekend and scored at least four runs in each of the past five games.
Not to be outdone, the pitching staff started to get into a groove as well. The UCLA hurlers gave up no more than two runs in any outing, complementing the great offense with some great defense.
“The pitching and the hitting are coming together nicely,” Kamekona said. “Of course, there are still things we need to work on, but we’re in a good place right now.”
The Bruins hit the road yet again on Wednesday as they travel south to pay Cal State Fullerton a visit. The Titans are only 5-6 on the season, but have had prior success against the Bruins.
Last season, UCLA fell victim to a 1-0 Fullerton upset in the regular season before redeeming itself with an 8-3 win over the Titans in both teams’ NCAA Tournament opener. The Bruins are currently on an eight-game winning streak and hope to keep the momentum going.
“If there is one thing we walk away with from this weekend, it’s that we have to play seven innings strong,” Inouye-Perez said. “(Each game) is a fight, and if anyone throws a punch, then we’re planning on punching back. We did exactly that, and I am really proud of (the team’s) fight this weekend.”