Each Bruin has a playbook that carries the printed image of a clock.
What purpose does a photocopy of a clock, with ink hands that cannot move, serve UCLA softball players? The answer is timing, but not by numbers. This timepiece is different: The word “NOW” replaces each hour.
No. 2 UCLA will host Pac-12 opponent Oregon State in a three-game series this week: Thursday at 7 p.m., Friday at 6 p.m. and Saturday at 12 p.m.
Coach Kelly Inouye-Perez hopes the clock in each Bruin playbook will continue to serve its purpose: to remind each player that the only time they need to worry about is “now.”
“Take what you need from the past and move it forward (to now),” Inouye-Perez said. “We have no control over the future, so we’re focusing on ‘now.’”
Senior pitcher Jessica Hall, who led the Bruins to their shutout win over the Matadors Tuesday, expects UCLA to sweep Oregon State.
“I feel like we are the intimidators,” Hall said.
The Bruins (36-4, 9-3 Pac-12) haven’t lost a game since they returned to their den from the series in Oregon.
“They’re coming to our home … and I don’t think anything can stop us,” Hall said.
However, Hall doesn’t expect a victory to fall into UCLA’s lap.
“We could easily be caught playing down to a team that is not known as being the strength of the Pac-12,” Hall said.
To avoid “playing down,” the Bruins work to maintain a standard for themselves that keeps UCLA playing at its highest level against various opponents.
The Bruins uphold this high standard by remembering that an upset is very possible in Pac-12 play.
“Regardless of who they are, there is a fight in every Pac-12 program,” Inouye-Perez said, “(Oregon State) can beat us very easily if we don’t show up prepared.”
Sophomore catcher Brittany Moeai has been showing up prepared: Moeai has been on an offensive hot streak and isn’t expected to cool down.
“We’re trying not to take any teams lightly right now, because we’re getting into the heart of season,” said Moeai.
This week’s series against Oregon State marks the beginning of the second half of Pac-12 play for UCLA.
But the Bruins look at the clock in their playbooks and see that now is the only time to strike.
“The best thing for us to do (is) just to not let up and let something sneak behind us,” Moeai said.
UCLA is taking it play-by-play, game-by-game.
“Our ultimate goal is a championship … but in the meantime, we got to focus on our one shots right now,” Inouye-Perez said.