Bruins’ undefeated season slips away
Softball drops first game of the season to Michigan, 5-4
By Melissa Anderson
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
The rain didn’t come soon enough for the UCLA softball team this
weekend as the No. 2 Bruins dropped their first game of the season
to No. 10 Michigan, 5-4, in the Easton/Reebok Invitational
Saturday.
UCLA (15-1 overall, 2-0 in Pac-10), playing on its home field as
the visiting team because of tournament seeds, pulled ahead in the
fourth inning on first baseman Alleah Poulson’s two-run homer. The
Bruins improved the lead to 3-0 in the top of the fifth when third
baseman Jennifer Brundage singled to drive in Kelly Howard.
As rain began to fall in the bottom of the sixth, however, Bruin
pitcher B’Ann Burns couldn’t get a good grip on the ball and gave
up three walks and two base hits to put the Wolverines (9-3
overall) back in the game. With two outs, Brundage bobbled the
ball, allowing Michigan to pull ahead.
The umpires allowed play to continue and the Bruins added a run
in the top of the seventh after base hits by Jenny Brewster and
Brundage and a two base error on Michigan shortstop Sara
Griffin.
With the International Tie Break Rule in effect in the eighth,
UCLA began the inning with Poulson on second, but Wolverine pitcher
Kelly Kovach retired the side in order, swinging the momentum in
Michigan’s favor.
With one out in the bottom of the eighth, left fielder Lesa
Arvia ended the game with a single that drove in Kovach.
"We’re not always going to play under ideal conditions," UCLA
co-head coach Sharon Backus said. "It was a little disappointing
the way we handled (playing in the rain), but I look for them to
learn from this experience and hopefully we’ll be able to bounce
back."
UCLA opened the tournament Friday morning with a 5-0 win over
Ohio State, highlighted by a fourth inning grand slam by Howard and
a 3-for-3 performance by Brundage which included a triple.
"It was real exciting," Howard said of her first career grand
slam. "Being that it was the first home run that I’ve hit in our
home stadium, it made it that much more special."
The Bruins were scheduled to close out the tournament Sunday
afternoon against UNLV and Utah, but all games were canceled
because of rain.