UCLA softball goes 5-0 in tournament opener in Hawaii

The UCLA softball team went undefeated this weekend and opened its 2014 season with a tournament victory in Honolulu.

This was UCLA’s fourth time participating in the Oceanic Time Warner Cable Paradise Classic and the Bruins’ first time winning it.

“We knew what we had coming,” said coach Kelly Inouye-Perez. “Historically, we don’t play well in Hawaii for a lot of reasons.”

Inouye-Perez said that playing on an island where everyone else is on vacation could make it difficult to focus.

“The beach is beautiful here and there’s just a lot of distractions,” Inouye-Perez said.

But before the Bruins could dip their toes in the sand, they had to stomp their cleats in the dirt.

In spite of the beckoning waves, the Bruins kept their eyes on the prize within the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.

Three out of the Bruins’ five tournament games were shutouts. The first two games ended in the fifth inning because of mercy rule.

“Mission first, team always – we’re always focusing on the mission and the team did exactly that,” said Inouye-Perez, who earned her 300th win in the team’s second victory over Hawai’i.

The Bruins accompanied their gridlock defense with great offense at the plate.

UCLA bats were especially hot in the second game against Hampton. The Bruins cannonballed the Lady Pirates’ pitches, scoring a whopping 17 runs in the five-inning shutout game.

The Bruins hit six home runs this past weekend. Senior outfielder Alyssa Tiumalu and Honolulu native sophomore infielder Mysha Sataraka both hit two apiece.

A welcome home

The Satarakas welcomed the Bruins to Hawaii by placing blue and gold leis on each member of the UCLA traveling party.

Sataraka, who attended Punahou School in Honolulu, had a productive return home in going hitting .385 while knocking two home runs — and did so with her family and hometown watching.

“Just to be able to play at home – that was amazing,” Sataraka said. “Just to be batting well and having my teammates with me (in my hometown) was great.”

The Bruins were rewarded with “free time” in Honolulu Sunday. The tournament’s most valuable player was excited about this.

“It is my first time (in Hawaii) ever,” Tiumalu said. “We can actually go to the beach.”

Sataraka said she would spend the morning with her family since she was not able to hang out with them during the tournament.

“We definitely learned a lot about our team (this tournament),” Inouye-Perez said. “If we continue to (play like) this, it’s going to be a fun year.”