It was business as usual for the UCLA softball team this past weekend.
The No. 13 Bruins (27-5, 3-0 Pac-12) swept the Utah Utes (17-9, 0-3) in a three-game home series, maintaining their stranglehold over the Utes in Easton Stadium.
Since Utah joined the Pac-12 in 2011, UCLA has hosted three home series against the Utes. The Bruins have now swept each of those three series, going 9-0 against the Utes and outscoring them 61-15 overall.
But in the first game of the series this past weekend, the Bruins’ dominance was put on hold, as the two teams were locked in a close match throughout. UCLA scored one run in the second inning on an RBI double by senior second baseman Gracie Goulder – but that was the only run UCLA scored all game.
It just so happened that the Bruins had their best pitcher – and the reigning Pac-12 Player of the Year – starting for them, making a 1-0 lead feel more than safe. Senior Ally Carda allowed only three Utah batters to reach base all game, and only two advanced as far as second base. Carda notched a complete-game win on 105 pitches, pushing the Bruins’ record to 1-0 in Pac-12 play.
In the next two games, standout pitching would be the common theme for UCLA. On Saturday, it was freshman Selina Ta’amilo delivering the quality start, pitching five innings and allowing two runs, while Carda sealed the game with two scoreless innings out of the bullpen.
In the series finale on Sunday, Carda returned to the circle for another stellar start. Just like her previous two outings, the senior ace did not allow a single run. Carda recorded seven strikeouts in four innings to earn her 14th win of the season, as the Bruins cruised to a 6-0 win over the Utes. Another bright spot in the circle for UCLA was freshman Johanna Grauer, who appeared in her first game since Feb. 28 and pitched three scoreless innings in relief.
Overall, the solid pitching this past weekend was a sign of progress for UCLA softball. Early on this season, the team struggled to hold leads in the late innings, but over the past few weeks, the Bruins’ pitching staff has stepped it up a notch. In UCLA’s 13 games since Feb. 27, the Bruins haven’t once allowed more than two runs. They’ve won all 13 games during that span.
Compiled by Matthew Joye, Bruin Sports senior staff.