Monday, 5/12/97 UCLA pitching overpowers Arizona State in
doubleheader Fresh from NCAA firestorm, Bruins sweep final home
games
By Melissa Anderson Daily Bruin Staff The UCLA softball team did
its best to sweep away the cloud of controversy surrounding the
squad last weekend by getting down to business and taking a
doubleheader from Arizona State Saturday at Easton Stadium. After
the NCAA almost ended UCLA’s season as a penalty for financial aid
violations that occurred two years ago, the Bruins got another
chance when the athletic department filed an appeal of the penalty.
It became official Sunday, when UCLA was awarded a No. 1 seed in
the NCAA Regionals. The Bruins will face fourth-seeded Nicholls
State Friday at 4:30 p.m. in Lafayette, La. But first, the Bruins
(41-11, 21-7 Pac-10) had to tackle the Sun Devils. And in the final
regular season game before Regionals, the Bruins were focused only
on the task at hand. UCLA shut down the Devils, 5-2, 12-0 as five
Bruins played in Easton for the last time in their careers. The
seniors made the most of the afternoon, as pitcher B’Ann Burns held
ASU to two hits in seven innings en route to the 93rd victory of
her career. With the win, Burns tied Lisa Fernandez for the UCLA
career victory record. "I wasn’t really looking for that, I just
want to win," Burns said. "It’s kind of sad (to have played in my
final home game), but I feel good. It’s nice to get the win." It
was another senior who led the way for the Bruins on offense. After
a walk to junior Kim Wuest to lead off the fifth, Nicole Ochoa –
playing for the first time since suffering a hamstring injury
against Arizona – knocked her sixth home run of the season to left
field. With UCLA up 2-0 in the sixth, sophomore Julie Marshall
singled home Stacey Nuveman, and Julie Adams was walked. Ochoa then
ended the scoring with a two-run single. "Anytime you know it’s
their last game, you want to see them do well," UCLA head coach Sue
Enquist said of her seniors. " But (because we are going to the
postseason), this is not their last game. The last time you put on
the UCLA uniform, that’s the one that is going to be most
memorable." Arizona State (31-23, 9-19) would probably like to
forget the nightcap. UCLA jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the first
inning, as the Bruins batted through the lineup, knocking out ASU
starting pitcher Carrie James along the way. With Christa Williams
shutting the Devils down in the pitching circle, the Bruins got two
more runs in the second inning and another in the third. Nuveman
then put the nail in the coffin and sent ASU home early with a
three-run homer off the scoreboard in the bottom of the fifth. "I
knew we needed one more run to put it away early (because of the
10-run mercy rule)," Nuveman said of her 17th long ball on the
year. "I was just going in there looking for a solid hit." Senior
Alleah Poulson was 3 for 4 with two singles, a double and three
runs scored. Johnna Mike and Nikki Barbieri also saw action in
their final home game. For practically the first time all year,
UCLA was close to full strength Saturday. In addition to Ochoa,
Adams and Laurie Fritz both returned to the lineup after sitting
out due to shoulder injuries. And that, even more than the
victories, is something Enquist hopes will carry the team into
NCAAs. "It’s great to see your whole team on the field," Enquist
said. "We’re not 100 percent, but we’re one step closer to being
all the way there and that’s nice to see."