Junior pitcher Megan Langenfeld went to the desert with a mission.
The Bruin softball team traveled to Arizona with its sights on the Pac-10 title, and its fate depended heavily upon Langenfeld’s arm and on the outcomes of the weekend’s games.
And when the dust cleared, the No. 2 UCLA Bruins (35-8, 10-4 Pac-10) emerged a half-game ahead of the No. 7 Arizona Wildcats (37-11, 9-4). UCLA now sits atop the Pac-10 standings after sweeping the weekend, extending its winning streak to nine games.
Arizona pitcher Sarah Akamine and Langenfeld battled and kept the high-octane offenses scoreless for the first five innings on Friday.
Though the Bruins had nine hits, they were scattered, and seven runners were stranded. It was not until the sixth inning, when freshman Dani Yudin stepped in and put a single right up the middle to score sophomore GiOnna DiSalvatore and junior Kaila Shull, that the scoreless game was broken open.
“We did a good job at getting runners on in every inning, and putting pressure (on Arizona),” coach Kelly Inouye-Perez said. “We always had an opportunity to score, and that is always our goal ““ to give ourselves a chance.”
Langenfeld tied a season high by striking out eight Wildcats, while just surrendering a run on four hits. The Bruins pulled out a 2-1 victory.
After shutting down the Wildcats on Friday, Langenfeld was clearly all business ““ and she made certain that in Tempe it was to be no different.
Langenfeld homered to the deepest part of the ballpark in the first inning on Saturday against the No. 4 Arizona State Sun Devils (37-11, 7-6).
“It was important for us to make a statement,” Langenfeld said. “It’s especially important in the Pac-10s where anybody can beat anybody.”
That home run set off a quartet of two-run shots within the first two innings, and by the time the stunned Sun Devils could react, the Bruins had opened up a gaping 8-0 lead.
“We have built momentum early on in ball games and playing the way we’re capable of playing and not waiting for anything,” Inouye-Perez said. “We’re simply playing UCLA softball.”
Langenfeld put away the flustered Sun Devils, allowing just three hits over five innings en route to mercy-ruling ASU 9-1.
DiSalvatore homered twice, while freshman outfielder Andrea Harrison added a solo shot. Sophomore leadoff hitter Katie Schroeder also went a perfect 3-for-3.
Langenfeld pitched five more innings on Sunday against the Sun Devils and once again homered in the first inning.
However, the Sun Devils kept scraping against Langenfeld and rallied to tie the game in the bottom of the fifth.
Sun Devil junior Caylyn Carlson led off with a home run, her second in as many days, and after an error allowed the Devils to load the bases, a single by catcher Kaylyn Castillo and double by freshman Katelyn Boyd tied the game up at four apiece.
But the Bruins were up to the threat.
The following inning, the Harrison sisters connected on a pair of two-out, two-run homers, which would become the trademark of the afternoon. UCLA, led by Monica Harrison’s three home runs, scored all their runs on seven home runs.
“As far as our ability to the long ball, we have shown that ability since game one,” Inouye-Perez said.
Over the two-game series, the Bruins homered 11 times against the defending champions and limited the Sun Devils to just two long balls.
The Bruins will take their nine-game winning streak to Washington on Wednesday for the final Pac-10 road game of the season, with the conference title well within reach.
“It’ll be wonderful to win Pac-10s, and that’s something we look forward to, but we’re trying to win a championship,” Inouye-Perez said.