After struggling through the Kajikawa Classic in Arizona last weekend, the UCLA softball team wanted to send a message in its first home game of the season.
Mission accomplished.
No. 3 UCLA (3-3) enacted the five-inning mercy rule against UC Riverside (3-1) on Tuesday with a dominating 14-0 victory.
“They decided that what we did this past weekend wasn’t representative of who we are,” coach Kelly Inouye-Perez said. “They pulled together as a team.”
Tuesday’s game against UC Riverside was the second consecutive game in which the Bruins won within five innings.
But things didn’t start off as brightly for the Bruins in Arizona.
After falling by one run to two ranked opponents, Texas and Texas A&M, UCLA was mercied 13-1 by what had been an 0-3 New Mexico team. It was UCLA’s biggest margin of defeat since losing a game 16-3 to Arizona in 1998.
While it is still very early in the season, the loss to New Mexico served as an early wake-up call for the team.
“After that game, everyone kind of stopped and went, “˜what just happened?'” senior second baseman Lisa Dodd said. “It was just important to prove to ourselves that it doesn’t matter, we’re still in this and that one weekend means nothing.”
Dodd started off the offensive attack against UC Riverside with a first-inning grand slam. She finished the game with a team-leading five RBIs.
Freshman catcher/outfielder Kaila Shull hit her team-leading third home run of the season. Senior catcher Jaisa Creps hit her second home run of the year against the Highlanders.
Junior pitcher Anjelica Selden was back on her game after struggling a little bit in Arizona. Selden tossed five shutout innings, allowing one hit, walking no one, and striking out nine Highlander batters.
“We were pumped for this game,” freshman third baseman Julie Burney said. “Last weekend was just a fluke.”
HERRERA OUT FOR THE SEASON: The Bruins were dealt a significant blow on Monday when an MRI revealed that senior third baseman/first baseman Ashley Herrera had a torn ACL and will be out for the remainder of the year.
Herrera injured her knee after recording the Bruins’ very first hit of the season against Texas. Sprinting to first base to beat out a bunt, Herrera collided with the Longhorns’ second baseman, who was covering first base on the play.
“My body flew forward and I just got twisted up,” Herrera said. “I’d never felt that pain before.”
Herrera was a versatile player for the Bruins the past two seasons. Last year, she switched over from the right side of the plate to primarily hitting the left side of the plate, where she adjusted her game to utilize her speed as a slap hitter.
Herrera moved from the outfield this year and was set to be the team’s starting third baseman and first baseman when freshman first baseman/pitcher Megan Langenfeld was pitching. Now, freshman Julie Burney will take over as the Bruins’ primary third baseman. Burney, Shull and Langenfeld are three UCLA freshmen who are expected to be regulars.