UCLA Sweeps Arizona With 7-0 Shutout in Series Finale
LOS ANGELES – Megan Faraimo threw four innings of one-hit ball and blasted the first home run of her career as the No. 3 UCLA softball team blanked rival No. 9 Arizona, 7-0, to sweep the season series at Easton Stadium on Monday afternoon.
The Bruins (25-3, 3-0 Pac-12) shutout the Wildcats (19-7, 0-3 Pac-12) in three consecutive games, marking their first time accomplishing the feat since the 1989 and 1990 seasons. UCLA is now riding an 18-game winning streak.
Faraimo struck out six Arizona batters on the way to picking up her 11th win of the season. She is now tied with teammate Holly Azevedo for most wins in the Pac-12.
Faraimo provided her own run support in the bottom of the second with a screaming, line-drive home run to left field for the first round-tripper of her career to put the Bruins up, 3-0. In the circle, she went on to retire six of the next seven batters she faced.
The Pac-12 leader in strikeouts hits bombs too 🚀🚀🚀
📺: Pac-12 Networks
📱: https://t.co/ZWXs2DjBaS#GoBruins pic.twitter.com/y7fQUpkEa6— UCLA Softball (@UCLASoftball) March 21, 2022
Castro extended UCLA's lead to 5-0 in the bottom of the fourth with a two-run homer on a 3-0 count to left field. Freshman Savannah Pola plated one more Bruins' run off an RBI single to center field before the inning came to a close.
Lauren Shaw was substituted in relief in the fifth and tossed three scoreless frames to secure her second save of the season.
The Bruins are back in action next week for a three-game series at Washington beginning Friday, March 25 at 5 p.m. PT and ending Sunday, March 27 at 4 p.m. PT. Games one and two will be available for viewing on the Pac-12 Networks, and game three will be televised on ESPNU.