Looking at junior pitcher Anjelica Selden’s statistics so far this season, you would think that she has had an extremely impressive beginning to the season.
But by the standard of greatness she has set over the past two years, it’s been a relative struggle early on.
In 57 2/3 innings pitched this season, Selden is 5-3 with a 2.79 ERA, allowing just 40 hits and walking 25 compared to 77 strikeouts.
Last season by comparison, Selden allowed just two earned runs in her first 91 2/3 innings, while striking out 183 hitters and sporting a record of 14-1.
While Selden’s numbers from the beginning of the season have dropped off considerably from last season, coach Kelly Inouye-Perez doesn’t see any reason for concern.
Selden pitched almost exclusively to catcher Emily Zaplatosch in her first two seasons, who graduated after last season. Inouye-Perez said Selden is still getting used to pitching to senior catcher Jaisa Creps and freshman Kaila Shull, who split duties behind the plate.
“The bottom line is, she’s going to get better,” Inouye-Perez said.
“We don’t need her to be perfect right now and we never have. The inconsistency is because she hasn’t got the game underneath her belt yet, but she’ll get stronger and stronger.”
Selden has looked dominant at times this year, as she did against Maryland in UCLA’s 6-0 win Saturday, allowing just one hit while striking out 11. But she’s also been hit around a bit more than she’s used to in some games.
Against No. 1 Tennessee on Friday, Selden gave up six runs, beating herself with six walks and two of her own fielding errors.
Selden also allowed six runs against No. 7 Northwestern in the Bruins’ win, although most of the damage came in the seventh inning when the Bruins had a big lead.
“I think the main thing for myself is to just continue to stay positive,” Selden said.
“I tend to make the game bigger than it is, and I just need to slow myself down.”
BRUINS HOST LOYOLA MARYMOUNT: After going 3-1 in the Palm Springs Classic, UCLA (10-5) will look to continue its momentum from the Northwestern win when they face Loyola Marymount today.
The Bruins’ victory over the Wildcats was their first over a ranked team this season and helped ease the pain of a loss to No. 1 Tennessee earlier in the Palm Springs Classic.
Loyola Marymount (12-7) was also a participant in the Palm Springs Classic over the weekend.
The Lions went 3-2 in Palm Springs, defeating Maryland, BYU and Long Island while falling to Tennessee and Oklahoma. The contest between the Lions and the Bruins takes place at 1 p.m today.