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No. 2 Bruins Take Game One From No. 3 Washington

Apr 23, 2021
Junior Briana Perez

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LOS ANGELES - Juniors Briana Perez and Aaliyah Jordan each hit home runs, freshman Alyssa Garcia drove in two and senior Rachel Garcia struck out six in a complete-game, three-hitter, as the second-ranked Bruins took game one of this weekend's four-game series against No. 3 Washington with a 6-1 victory on Friday at Easton Stadium.

Garcia (8-0) allowed just an unearned run and a walk. She retired the first nine batters of the game, adding 1-2-3 innings in the fifth and the sixth. Garcia fanned two in the fifth. The Bruins (26-2, 9-1 Pac-12) had six players combine for their six hits.

One swing of the bat in the bottom of the third staked the Bruins to a 3-0 lead. With one out, sophomore Anna Vines singled, and one out later, junior Kinsley Washington walked. Perez then launched the first pitch she saw over the right-field wall for her team-leading eighth homer of the season to put UCLA ahead.

Washington (34-7, 12-3 Pac-12) scored a run in the top of the fourth, but UCLA answered in the bottom half. Rachel Garcia led off with a walk, and was pinch-run for by freshman Seneca Curo, who moved to third on a double by junior Delanie Wisz and scored on a sacrifice fly by Alyssa Garcia to make it 4-1.

In the sixth, Jordan led off with a home run to right-center, her fourth of the season, to increase the lead to 5-1. Rachel Garcia followed with a double, moved to third on a passed ball and scored on a two-out single by Alyssa Garcia to make it 6-1.

The Bruins and the Huskies continue their series on Saturday with a doubleheader starting at 4 p.m. The games will air on Pac-12 Network National and Los Angeles.