Growing pains are sometimes an inevitable part of progress.
UCLA softball’s 13-4 start this year may be considered disappointing for a team that started the year ranked No. 6 in the country, but the team said it has seen moments of greatness.
“I think we’ve had moments where we look like the best team in the country,” said freshman pitcher Johanna Grauer, “But I also think we’ve had moments where we haven’t looked so great.”
The Bruins have seen uneven levels of performance so far this season, which they hope to even out this weekend at the Long Beach Louisville Slugger Invitational.
“Coming off a very tough weekend in Palm Springs, we might have not done well in a couple of games, but I thought we battled back,” said sophomore shortstop Delaney Spaulding. “And we ended on a good note against Nebraska.”
One positive for UCLA in this early part of the season has been the team’s scoring. The Bruins have scored 30 more runs to this point in the season than last year. Part of that is due to the hitting duo of Spaulding and junior outfielder Allexis Bennett.
Spaulding is currently leading the team in runs, RBIs, doubles and triples.
“Once you get into season, we’re hitting every day, so you just get into the groove,” Spaulding said.
Not to be outdone, Bennett is on a tear herself, hitting at a .587 clip. Although there are still over 35 games left in the season, Bennett is only two points shy of single season batting average record in NCAA history.
Despite her hot streak, Bennett had no idea what type of groove she was in until her dad told her this weekend just how successful she has been.
“I’m just keeping that drive. I’m in control. That’s how I feel,” Bennett said. “I’m calm and in control at the plate.”
Bennett said she attributes much of her performance thus far to attending individual batting practice with coach Kelly Inouye-Perez, which has given her an opportunity to work through her play at the plate, both physically and mentally.
Unfortunately for the Bruins, their hot streak at the plate seems to have transferred to the team’s opponents. Through 17 games, UCLA has allowed 47 runs compared to only 19 from last year.
Part of this stems from the early struggles of Grauer on the mound. Thrown in the fire from the first game of the season, Grauer gave up eight runs in her first three starts, and never looked settled.
“In high school, you can get away with taking a pitch off, or just losing focus for a second,” Grauer said. “In college softball, your competition is so intense, you cannot take one pitch off. As soon as you let your mind drift away, the other team is going to jump on it.”
Grauer said that she was aware of her problems early on, but has taken steps to correct the issues she has seen on the field.
“Last weekend I reached out to (pitching coach) Lisa (Fernandez), and talked to her about it. I think mentally that helped me a great deal,” Grauer said. “The next game after that, I felt like I came out and did much better.”
Bennett said the whole team acknowledges it has lost to teams who it probably should have beaten, but that the preseason is ultimately about working through issues and building an identity for the team.
“We’re playing great softball. We’re not playing the best softball yet,” Bennett said. “But it’ll come.”