UCLA softball coach Kelly Inouye-Perez preaches to her team to win every inning.
And when all the innings were added up from this weekend’s series against California, the result was a sweep.
The No. 13 Bruins (33-12, 8-7 Pac-12) took on the Golden Bears (26-16, 3-11) for a trio of contests at Easton Stadium, all of which went the Bruins’ way.
On Friday night, UCLA trailed 2-0 after six and half innings, but in the bottom of the final frame, the bats woke up. Junior catcher Madeline Jelenicki led off the Bruins’ half of the inning with a leadoff single, and was immediately pinch-run for by sophomore outfielder Imani Johnson.
Redshirt freshman pitcher Rachel Garcia then drew a walk, moving Johnson to second. She too was pinch-run for, this time by freshman utility Jenna Crawford. After a sacrifice bunt from sophomore catcher Paige Halstead, freshman outfielder Bubba Nickles singled to right, and advanced to third on an error by Cal right fielder Vanessa Alvarez.
This set the stage for senior outfielder Gabrielle Maurice, who launched a towering shot to left-center that missed the top of the wall by merely a few feet.
It didn’t matter, however, as she and the Bruins settled for a walk-off RBI double and a 3-2 victory.
“The team’s full of talented girls, so (I tried to) not really put a lot of pressure on myself,” Maurice said. “I knew (sophomore utility Zoe Shaw) behind me is a great hitter, so I knew I didn’t have to get the job done.”
The next day was dominated by pitching, as junior starter Selina Ta’amilo hurled four innings of one-run ball, earning her ninth win of the season of the Bruins once again came out on top 3-1.
Shaw had a career day, totaling three hits and two RBIs in support of Ta’amilo’s effort.
Sunday, the Bruins’ offense broke out in an 8-1 sweep-clinching victory. Senior infielder Delaney Spaulding and Nickles each contributed a pair of home runs in the effort.
Spaulding credited a loose approach for the success in the batter’s box on Sunday.
“I think we’re just calm, and we were loose, especially on my end, and I think I was just focusing on quality at-bats and getting myself on, especially being leadoff,” Spaulding said. “We were relaxed, we got the two wins Friday and Saturday.”