Now you see them. Now you don’t.
The UCLA softball team has seemingly transformed its offense into a college softball version of the no-huddle spread offense this season, putting pressure on opponents with its speed and aggressive play. The Bruins will unveil their new style for the first time at home on Friday.
At times, the Bruins play too fast even for themselves.
“I remember looking at the girls … and I was like, ‘Is it always this fast?’” said freshman shortstop Delaney Spaulding, who noted that her biggest challenge as a freshman has been adjusting to the increased speed of the college game.
Then again, it may not be that the game of college softball is so fast. It may just be that UCLA plays at a faster pace than any other team.
Through five games, the Bruins lead the Pac-12 teams with 14 stolen bases and 20 stolen base attempts. These numbers present a stark contrast from last year, when the Bruins finished sixth in each of those respective categories.
“There’s more of an aggressive approach this year than there ever has been. Runningcentered, or even connecting at-bats to runners,” said coach Kelly Inouye-Perez.
After a five-day break from game play, UCLA will be poised to run some more in this weekend’s Stacy Winsberg Memorial Tournament, which begins with a doubleheader against UC Davis and Robert Morris on Friday. The tournament field will also include Western Kentucky and Loyola Marymount. Inouye-Perez said that the aggressive game plan will remain the same.
“We’re going to get the extra bag at times and there (are) going to be times where we’re gonna run into outs,” Inouye-Perez said. “But … we’re going to put pressure on the defense.”
The risk has been rewarding thus far, as the Bruins find themselves ranked No. 13 in the nation with a 5-0 record. The stolen bases and hit-and-run plays have provided an antidote to account for the loss of graduated outfielder B.B. Bates, who set single-season school records in home runs and RBIs last season.
As Spaulding blazes the trail for the Bruins’ transition to the running game with a team-leading five stolen bases, one of the team’s upperclassman has bought into the strategy as well.
Junior catcher Stephany LaRosa, who had only one stolen base last season, has added base running to her arsenal to complement the team’s new approach. So far, she has already eclipsed her stolen base total from last season by swiping two bases in the first five games.
The Bruins’ new offensive approach has not only seemed to sharpen their offensive skills, but has further bolstered their confidence.
“I think this team is better than the last three years,” said senior outfielder Alyssa Tiumalu. “We are very versatile and I think that we are very connected.”