No. 3 Bruins Host Premier Pac-12 Showdown with No. 6 Stanford
LOS ANGELES – The No. 3 UCLA softball team hosts No. 6 Stanford in a top-10 matchup at Easton Stadium this week, beginning Friday, March 31 at 7 p.m. (PT). The Bruins (29-4, 6-3), who are going for their fourth straight Pac-12 series win, look to oust the Cardinal (27-3, 5-1) from the top of the conference standings.
Games one and two of the series will be available for viewing on the UCLA Live Stream. Game three on Sunday, April 2 will be broadcast on ESPNU with Courtney Lyle and Danielle Lawrie on the call.
No. 3 UCLA (29-4, 6-3) vs. No 6 Stanford (27-3, 5-1)
Los Angeles, Calif. (Easton Stadium)
Friday, March 31 - 7 p.m. PT (Watch: UCLA Live Stream)
Saturday, April 1 - 7 p.m. PT (Watch: UCLA Live Stream)
Sunday, April 2 - 2 p.m. PT (Watch: ESPNU)
Last Time Out
After dropping game one to Oregon, UCLA once again rode the arm of Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week Megan Faraimo to back-to-back wins to take the series.
Game 1 (L, 3-0): The Bruins were held to just two hits by Ducks' pitcher Morgan Scott in her complete-game shutout.
Game 2 (W, 7-4): Lauryn Carter's fourth-inning grand slam lifted UCLA to a win to even the series. Three straight one-out base hits loaded the pillows for Carter before she cashed in with the second home run of her career to give the Bruins a 5-2 lead. It was Carter's first home run since the third game of her freshman season in February 2021.
Game 3 (W, 6-2): Maya Brady and Jordan Woolery clutched up for back-to-back home runs to break a 2-2 tie in the seventh inning to lead the Bruins to victory. Brady finished the game 3-for-4 with a two RBI and two runs on the day.
Faraimo Named Back-to-Back Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week
For the second week in a row and the third time this season, redshirt senior Megan Faraimo has been named the Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week. This marks the eighth time in her career she has received the award, ranking fourth all-time among UCLA hurlers. Faraimo also received the award on Feb. 14 and March 20 this season.
The Oceanside, Calif. native did much of the heavy lifting in the circle for the Bruins in their series win over No. 19 Oregon. Faraimo picked up both of UCLA's wins with impressive relief performances. In game two, Faraimo struck out eight in 6.2 innings of relief following her start the day before. In game three, Faraimo answered the call with two runners on base in the fourth inning and picked up two quick outs to get out of a jam. She finished game three with a scoreless outing to secure UCLA's 6-2 victory.
With her two wins on the weekend, Faraimo improves her record to 15-2 and leads the conference in victories. Faraimo also paces the Pac-12 with 136 strikeouts and ranks third with a 1.36 earned run average.
UCLA has hauled in Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week honors three weeks in a row now after Yanez received the honor on March 13 for leading the Bruins to two victories over California.
Brady: Player of the Year Candidate
Maya Brady is one of just two players among the Power 5 conferences to own at least a .450 batting average, 10 home runs and 35 runs batted in. The other is Tennessee's Kiki Milloy. Brady leads the Pac-12 in the following categories: batting average (.465), hits (46), total bases (92), extra-base hits (22), on-base percentage (.543) and slugging percentage (.929).
The Thousand Oaks product is in the mix for the Pac-12 Triple Crown, ranking second in home runs (11) and runs batted in (37). There have been only three triple crown winners in conference history: Baylee Klingler (Washington - 2022), Jenny Dalton (Arizona - 1995) and Stacey Nuveman (UCLA - 1999).
Brady has three multi-homer games so far this season (San Diego - Feb. 12; Fresno State - March 3; Washington - March 19), stretching her career total to five. She joins a pantheon of Bruin sluggers, becoming just the seventh player in program history to record at least five multi-homer games in their career.
Brady is hitting for a team-leading .500 average (16-for-32) with runners in scoring position this season.
She's BaaaAAAaaaCK
Redshirt senior Aaliyah Jordan made her return to the playing field last week following a year-long recovery from her second torn anterior cruciate ligament. Jordan started all three games at Oregon as UCLA's designated player, going 3-for-7 with a run batted in.
Jordan is a two-time NFCA First Team All-American, three-time All-Pac-12 First Team selection and is one of four remaining members from UCLA's 2019 NCAA Championship squad.
Brady Shatters 24-Year-Old Record
Maya Brady broke a 24-year-old record during UCLA's Stacy Winsberg Memorial Tournament. Brady recorded 11 consecutive base hits across four games, breaking the mark of 10 consecutive hits formerly held by UCLA legends Lisa Fernandez (March 1993) and Stacey Nuveman (Feb. 1999). In total, Brady opened the first week of 2023 going 13-for-16 with 13 RBI and four home runs to earn her NFCA Player of the Week honors for the first time in her career.
Dual Threat
Maya Brady leads UCLA in both slugging (.929) and is tied for the lead in stolen bases (5). The last time a Bruin led the team in both slugging percentage and stolen bases in a single season was Katie Schroeder in 2009 (.684 SLG / 19 SB).
Back to Her Roots
In addition to her hitting exploits, Maya Brady has undertaken a new position this season as the Bruins' everyday shortstop following a left shoulder injury sustained by utility Seneca Curo. Brady grew up playing the position with her travel ball team OC Batbusters Stith.
It Must Be in the Genes
Six of Maya Brady's 11 home runs this year have driven in the go-ahead run(s) in a ballgame. Most recently, Brady launched a go-ahead, two-run shot in the seventh inning of game three at Oregon last week to lead UCLA to victory. And the series prior to that, each of Brady's two home runs in game three versus then-No. 10 Washington on March 19 gave UCLA the lead. She led off the game with a homer, and in the third, homered once more to give the Bruins the lead for the remainder of the contest.
Chef Megan Cookin'
Megan Grant ranks second nationally amongst freshmen with 35 runs batted in this season. The 35 RBI also rank third in the conference. The prized 2022 recruit has hit third our fourth in the UCLA batting lineup in 31 of 33 games this season.
J Woo There It Is
Jordan Woolery leads all freshmen in the Pac-12 with a .649 slugging percentage and ranks second on the team in that category, trailing only Brady. The Bruins' everyday first baseman ranks second in the conference with 10 doubles.
In Her Last 10 Games: Woolery leads the team with a .406 batting average and is tied with Maya Brady with nine runs batted in and six extra-base hits.
Grab Some Pine
UCLA's pitching staff ranks seventh in the country and first in the Pac-12 with 251 strikeouts this season. Bruins' ace Megan Faraimo, who led the conference in strikeouts a year ago with 292, has sent down a Pac-12-best 251 batters down on strikes this season.
Enter Sandwoman
Faraimo has been utilized in a reliever role frequently this season. Seven of her 15 winning decisions have come in relief. Faraimo has thrown two no-hitters this season, improving her career total to seven solo no-hitters. Most recently, Faraimo no-hit No. 3 Florida on Feb. 23, marking the first time a Bruin pitcher no-hit a top-3 opponent since March 28, 2003, when Keira Goerl kept No. 2 Stanford out of the hit column. It was Faraimo's first no-no against a ranked opponent.
Pola Setting the Table
Sophomore Savannah Pola has hit leadoff in all but three of UCLA's 33 games this season. An All-Pac-12 Freshman selection last season, Pola ranks second on the squad with a .398 batting average and third with seven doubles in 2023. When batting leadoff to begin any inning, Pola has reached base in 23 of 46 opportunities (.500 percentage).
Just Get on the Board
UCLA is 20-0 when scoring in the first inning and is 24-0 when it scores first in games this season.
Big Baddie Bookie
Brooke Yanez, the left-handed transfer pitcher from Oregon has dominated in her last ride as a Bruin. Yanez owns a 9-2 record and ranks fourth in the Pac-12 with a .178 opposing batting average and fifth with a 1.43 earned run average.
Where the Bruins Stack Up Nationally (entering week eight)
• In the circle, Megan Faraimo is tied for sixth with 15 wins and is tenth with 136 strikeouts
• Megan Grant ranks second amongst all freshmen in the NCAA with 35 runs batted in.
• Maya Brady ranks third with 92 total bases and ninth with a .929 slugging percentage.
Climbing UCLA's All-Time Rankings
• Kelli Godin ranks third on UCLA's all-time stolen bases list with 66 on 75 attempts. She passed Allexis Bennett (2013-16) who had 61 stolen bases. Godin needs seven more to tie her former teammate Briana Perez for second on the list (73).
• Megan Faraimo's 15 wins in 2023 pushes her career record to 87-15. She is currently ninth on UCLA's career wins list. Faraimo passed Ally Carda (2012-15) and former teammate Rachel Garcia (2017-21) on the Bruins' career strikeouts list earlier this season. Faraimo has now struck out 905 batters and is 48 shy of tying Debbie Doom (1982-85) for third all-time with 952.
• Aaliyah Jordan's RBI in game three at Oregon inches her closer to UCLA's 200 RBI club with 198. She needs two more to surpass Briana Perez on the list and become the fifth member of the elite group. Jordan is also five doubles shy of tying GiOnna DiSalvatore's (2008-11) all-time record of 65.