Faraimo Goes the Distance as No. 3 UCLA Downs No. 9 Texas, 2-1

CLEARWATER, Fla. – The No. 3-ranked UCLA softball team earned its second-straight win with a 2-1 victory over No. 9 Texas at the Eddie C. Moore Complex on Saturday night behind a complete-game, six-strikeout effort from redshirt junior Megan Faraimo.
 
The Vista, Calif. native picked up her third win of the season with 7.0 innings of one-run ball, holding the Longhorns to just four hits.
 
The Bruins (6-2) recorded eight total hits, including two apiece from Kinsley Washington, Aaliyah Jordan and Briana Perez. Washington raised her batting average to an impressive .571 while Jordan homered for the second-straight game. Perez also tripled for the second-straight game.
 
UCLA got on the board early with a pair of runs in the first inning. Washington led off the ballgame with a double and advanced to third before scoring on a passed ball. Jordan then cranked a solo shot to right field, making it 2-0.
 
Faraimo put up a scoreless first before giving up one run in the second, as Lou Gilbert knocked in an RBI single with two outs in the frame.
 
It was 2-1 headed into the sixth inning as Faraimo continued to deal. The Bruins came up in the bottom of the sixth and threatened with the bases loaded, but couldn't push a runner across and maintained the one-run advantage.
 
Texas put the first two runners on in the top of the seventh, but Faraimo retired the final three Longhorns to ensure the win for the Bruins.
 
The Bruins finish up their trip to Clearwater with a double-header on Sunday, Feb. 20. UCLA's matchup against Wisconsin is at 9 a.m. PT on ESPNU and the team wraps up with a marquee game against No. 5 Florida State at 4 p.m. PT on ESPN.