Bruins Bounce Back Against Oregon, Come Back Versus Utah
Highlights vs. Oregon | Highlights vs. Utah | PDF Box vs. Oregon | PDF Box vs. Utah | Boxscore
UCLA Softball Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
TEMPE, Ariz. - The top-ranked Bruins exacted revenge against No. 8 Oregon on Monday with a 9-3 victory, while coming back late to earn a 6-5 win over Utah in a doubleheader at Farrington Stadium.
In game one against Oregon (9-1), UCLA (7-1) had nine hits from five different players. The 3-4 of the Bruin lineup went a combined 5-for-6 with six runs batted in, five runs scored, three doubles and two homers, as junior Aaliyah Jordan was 3-for-3 with four runs and two RBI, while junior Delanie Wisz had two hits and four RBI. Senior Bubba Nickles added two hits.
In the circle, sophomore Megan Faraimo (5-1) picked up the win in relief, striking out four in four shutout innings, giving up three hits. She struck out two in the fifth. Junior Holly Azevedo fanned two in three innings, allowing three runs (two earned), four hits and three walks.
The Bruins scored twice in their first at-bat, as Nickles doubled to right and Jordan homered to right-center for her first of the season.
Oregon cut its deficit in half with a run in the first, but UCLA scored twice in the second. With one out, freshman Alyssa Garcia was hit by a pitch, and one out later, sophomore Kelli Godin moved her to third on a double. With Nickles at the plate, a passed ball allowed Garcia to score, and when the throw back to the plate got away, Godin scampered home to make it 4-1.
The Bruins added a run in the third, as Jordan walked, reached third on a wild pitch and scored on a Wisz sacrifice fly.
The Ducks scored single runs in the third and the fourth, but the Bruins matched them in the fifth and sixth. With one out in the fifth, Jordan doubled, and one out later, Wisz doubled to bring the lead to 6-3. In the sixth, Godin scored on an error to make it 7-3.
In the seventh, Jordan led off with a double, and one out later, Wisz homered to increase the lead to 9-3. It was her third home run of the season.
In game two, UCLA (8-1) had 10 hits from six different players, as the 1-2 part of the lineup had five hits, four runs and three RBI. Junior Briana Perez had three hits and two RBI, while Nickles had another two-hit game, as did junior Kinsley Washington.
Faraimo (6-1) picked up another win in relief, retiring all 10 batters she faced, striking out six, including the side in the seventh. Freshman Lexi Sosa started and struck out four in two innings, giving up two runs and two hits. Azevedo fanned two in 1 2/3 innings of relief, giving up three runs (two earned) and three hits.
The Bruins scored first in their opening at-bat, as Perez reached on a bunt single with one out, moved to second on a Jordan grounder and scored on a Wisz double to left.
Utah (9-4) took the lead with two in the second, but UCLA tied the game in the third on a Nickles leadoff homer, her second of the season. The Utes recorded two more runs in their half of the third and another in the fourth before the Bruins began their comeback.
In the fifth, Wisz walked with one out, stole second, moved to third on a grounder by freshman Maya Brady and scored on a double to right by sophomore Anna Vines to make it 5-3.
UCLA scored three times in the sixth to take the lead. With one out, Godin and Nickles had back-to-back singles. After Godin stole third, with Nickles moving up on the swipe, Perez singled up the middle to score both runners to even things at five. A walk to Jordan and Wisz reaching on an error loaded the bases for Brady, who hit a rocket off the Utah pitcher for an out, but Perez came across with the go-ahead run.
The Bruins are back in action on Wednesday at Easton Stadium against Cal State Fullerton at 2 p.m. A live stream will be available on UCLABruins.com.