UCLA can stop thinking about Colgate.
Before Thursday’s NCAA regional first-round game, the
Bruins would not look past the Raiders, despite the fact it was a
matchup between the No. 1 and No. 8 seeds.
But after an 8-0 perfect game victory that was called by
run-rule after six innings, the Bruins can now focus on a more
worthy opponent ““ rival and No. 4 regional seed Fresno State,
whom they will play today at 12:30 p.m.
“You have to take every game seriously and come out ready
to play,” UCLA first baseman Claire Sua said. “We
approach every game the same and try to keep the intensity level
up.”
One sure sign it’s the NCAA regionals now is that UCLA
pitcher Keira Goerl was working on a perfect game, but was taken
out before she could finish it. In a move to probably save Goerl
for today’s game, Michelle Turner came in to pitch the fifth
and sixth innings and finished the perfect game.
The perfect game was the first of the season for UCLA.
“I just want to stay inside my game plan,” Goerl
said. “It’s just the catcher and me. I don’t
really worry about who is at bat. If I am in my zone, I will be
effective.”
Offensively, the Bruins got to an early lead in the first
inning, when Stephanie Ramos hit a two-run single with the bases
loaded.
UCLA scored in the third on an RBI single by Claire Sua.
The Bruins scored three runs on five hits in the fourth, and
finished off the game in the sixth when they scored two runs on
three hits and a Colgate error.
For the game, UCLA had 14 hits, and 12 of them were singles.
Claire Sua went 4-for-4 on the day with two RBI.
Fresno State won its game on Thursday, 3-0 against Long Beach
State.
“The first game is always a little unpredictable,”
UCLA coach Sue Enquist said.
“We just wanted to go out there and put the ball in play
and see what happens. It was a good showing by both of our
pitchers. We were able to keep the momentum in our dugout.
We’re just glad to get the first game under our belt and set
the tone for the rest of the tournament.”
Fresno State and UCLA are longtime rivals, as the two have met
in three different NCAA Championship games, with UCLA winning all
three meetings. In their only meeting this year on March 9, the
Bruins won 5-0.
The loser will play again at 8 p.m. today.