Softball hit hard by Cal with 4-2 loss
By Melissa Anderson
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
The hits just keep on coming for the UCLA softball team Â
but not the way the Bruins would like them to.
After trouncing Oregon in a double-header Monday, UCLA (40-5
overall, 22-3 Pac-10) closed out a five-game road trip in the Bay
Area yesterday with a 4-2 loss to No. 10 California (34-17, 14-6)
at Strawberry Field.
The Bruins garnered 11 hits to the Golden Bears seven, but right
fielder Dina Frandsen’s two-run home run off UCLA’s B’Ann Burns in
the bottom of the sixth inning put the game away for Cal.
The Bears took a 1-0 lead in the first when catcher Gillian Boxx
led off with a single, was sacrificed to second and advanced to
third on a wild pitch. Boxx scored when Burns made a throwing error
at first base.
The Bruins remained scoreless until the fourth inning when
shortstop Nicole Odom doubled, followed by a walk to Jenny Brewster
and a single by Cindy Valero which loaded the bases.
A wild pitch by Cal pitcher Whitney Floyd allowed pinch runner
Ginny Mike, who came in to run for Odom, to score from third.
UCLA took its only lead of the day in the fifth, as junior Kelly
Howard picked up one of her three singles to lead off the inning.
Senior Kathi Evans followed suit with a bunt single, and third
baseman Jennifer Brundage doubled to drive in Howard from
second.
The Bruins looked to have it locked up until the bottom of the
sixth, when designated player Jen Ackley singled and moved over to
second base on an error by right fielder Laurie Fritz. First
baseman Melanie McCart doubled to drive in the run.
With one out and McCart on second, Frandsen stepped into the box
and sent one out of the park  just barely. It was the first
career home run for the freshman.
UCLA had a chance to win the game in the top of the seventh when
Brundage led off with a walk and Tanya Harding hit a long fly-ball
single off the wall. But a line drive by Odom right at the third
baseman caught Brundage off guard and resulted in a double
play.