On a 0-2 count in the top of the second of UCLA’s game against Seattle University, freshman pitcher Paige McDuffee sent a pitch hurtling past the bat of Seattle’s Lisa Maulden.
Four pitches later, it was Redhawks’ first baseman Brittney Lott who went down swinging. Outfielder Isabella Geronimo fared a little better, forcing the UCLA pitcher to throw a whole five pitches before meeting the same fate.
Three up, three whiffs, three down went Seattle.
McDuffee proved too much for the rest of the Seattle lineup, as she tossed the 102nd no-hitter in the history of UCLA softball in only her second collegiate career start. McDuffee retired 17 batters on just 63 pitches over five innings, allowing just two base runners all day and finishing the game by retiring eight batters in a row.
It was a dominating day for the young freshman, who has posted a 0.93 ERA in three outings this year.
“She’s rocking it,” said junior pitcher Jessica Hall of McDuffee, a southpaw from The Woodlands, Texas. “She doesn’t look like a freshman – she’s so comfortable out there.”
The Bruins are hoping McDuffee will be able to continue her strong start, as the UCLA pitchers will face their biggest challenge of the young season in the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic this weekend, where they will take on undefeated No. 4 Tennessee and No. 11 Louisiana State.
McDuffee, the 2010-2011 Gatorade National Softball Player of the Year, joins returning starters sophomore Ally Carda and Hall, and figures as an integral part of a UCLA pitching staff that is hoping to rebound from a disappointing 2012 season.
“They weren’t satisfied by how things went last year,” said coach Kelly Inouye-Perez. “They put in the work and they have each other’s back. They’re doing what they need to do for this team to be successful right now.”
Nine games into the season, it is clear that the Bruins’ hard work is paying off. The team has posted a collective ERA of 2.04 (down from 3.44 last year), and opponents this season are hitting a scant .186.
The Bruins believe that some of the credit for their improvement on game day lies with how the three pitchers are able to motivate each other throughout the week.
“We’re all pretty close. We definitely have a good competitive edge when we’re pitching,” Carda said. “We do a lot of competitive games in the bullpen. We’ll do games against each other and see who can get the most strikes or points or strike outs. … We’re on this team together and pushing for each other.”
Inouye-Perez has been pleased with the performance of her pitchers so far, citing their ability to give opponents different looks from the circle as a key component of UCLA’s success.
“It’s very unique in softball to have two lefties (McDuffee and Hall) and a righty (Carda). I love having the versatility and depth in the circle. I believe you need it. The versatility is going to be a strength of ours: We have the ability to go at opponents several different ways,” Inouye-Perez said.
Inouye-Perez believes that if her team continues to play their game, they will be ready for anyone, regardless of the opponents’ record.
“Our goal going into the weekend is to focus on one pitch at a time,” Inouye-Perez said. “That’s what this tournament in February is all about – it puts you in a position to see how you handle a little bit of pressure.
“I can’t wait to see what happens.”