Although softball is a physical contest, UCLA has its focus on the mind as it enters the UCLA/CSUN Invitational on Friday.
On Wednesday night, the No. 3 Bruins (17-1) got their first taste of defeat, falling to the No. 4 Michigan Wolverines at home, 9-4.
The game was wrought with a few mental gaffes on UCLA’s part, such as a baserunner committing a rule violation, and another baserunner getting caught in a rundown in the seventh inning.
There were also some other plays, particularly from the defensive side of the ball, that the Bruins felt they could have made if they had played with more focus. In particular, Michigan reached safely on a bunt attempt in each of its two separate three-run innings. The mental lapse was not due to UCLA’s lack of preparation, however.
“We were definitely prepared. (Bunt defense) is something that we work on every practice,” said sophomore catcher Brittany Moeai.
Instead, UCLA’s mental lapse was because of its loss of concentration during the game itself, possibly because it had gotten used to coming from behind and winning in walk-off fashion. Just the night before, UCLA had beat Michigan in extra-innings on a walk-off home run, the team’s fourth walk-off victory in its first 17 games.
“In reality, we’ve been squeaking by a lot of games just like this,” said freshman center fielder Gabby Maurice. “So I think it’s just a reality check. I think it is much needed, just (to) get ourselves back up … and just make sure we pay attention to the details.”
While UCLA had relied on its clutch hitting to catalyze its victories in the first 17 games, it was the Bruins’ inability to make the timely plays that victimized them in their first loss of the season. In Wednesday’s loss, UCLA left seven runners on base, while Michigan left just three on base.
The pitching staff also struggled, allowing over two runs for only the third time in 18 games this season. Assistant coach Kirk Walker emphasized that the pitchers’ main problem was timeliness as well.
Not surprisingly, UCLA will not be preparing for this weekend’s games by doing anything different in practice. Instead, the Bruins will attempt to regain their sense of urgency and focus, so that they can play to their full potential.
“It’s not that we have to go out and practice something that we’re not
good at,” Walker said. “It’s about having attention to detail on those
things that we know we are capable of doing.”