No. 2 Bruins Complete Regular Season With Win at No. 8 Arizona

UCLA Softball Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

TUCSON, Ariz. - The second-ranked Bruins exploded for seven runs in the fifth inning in Saturday's series finale, as UCLA defeated No. 8 Arizona 7-2 at Hillenbrand Stadium.
 
Senior Rachel Garcia improved to 14-0 in the circle, striking out five in five innings and allowing a run, six hits and two walks. She struck out two in the third. Sophomore Megan Faraimo pitched two innings of relief, fanning four and giving up a run, two hits and a walk. She struck out two in the sixth and two more in a 1-2-3 seventh.
 
UCLA (41-4, 19-2 Pac-12) had six hits from five different players, as freshman Maya Brady posted a pair of hits.
 
Arizona (36-13, 12-10 Pac-12) scored a run in the second and maintained its lead until the top of the fifth when the Bruins sent 11 hitters to the plate in 24 minutes. Sophomore Anna Vines led off with a walk and sophomore Kelli Godin singled. Junior Aaliyah Jordan then tapped a ball to short, but it was misplayed, allowing her to reach and Vines to score to even things at one. One out later, and after an intentional walk to Garcia, junior Delanie Wisz drew a free pass to force home Godin to put the Bruins up 2-1.
 
Brady followed with a double to center to plate freshman Grace Guzman, who was running for Jordan, and freshman Lauryn Carter, who was running for Garcia, to make it 4-1. Junior Kinsley Washington then hit the first pitch she saw out the opposite way to left, her third home run of the season, to increase the lead to 7-1.
 
The Wildcats added a run in the sixth, but the Bruins won by a handful.
 
The one-hour NCAA Selection Show will air on Sunday at 6 p.m. PT on ESPN2, as the 64 teams, 16 seeds and 16 sites will be announced.