| Softball |
|---|
| UCLA — 13 |
| Rutgers — 3 |
Did the electricity go out?
Or did UCLA softball steal it all?
No. 7 UCLA softball (27-3, 8-0 Big Ten) continued its first Big Ten conference road trip of the season on Saturday afternoon against Rutgers (16-14, 3-5 Big Ten) at the Rutgers softball complex after winning the first game of three.
The first inning was electrifying for UCLA.
First at bat, sophomore left fielder Rylee Slimp stepped on base after getting a walk before advancing to second on a wild pitch. The Bruins then made it to base with a walk two more times thanks to senior right fielder Megan Grant and sophomore second baseman Kaniya Bragg.
Three bases were loaded and the team sat in a good position to score. The first run was made after freshman third baseman Bri Alejandre hit a fly ball to right field and Slimp ran to home. Moments later, Grant scored after designated player redshirt junior Ramsey Suarez hit a single to left field.
The RBIs did not end just there. Redshirt freshman shortstop Aleena Garcia doubled to left field to push out Suarez and Bragg. The Bruins were sitting at 4-0 after the top of the first inning.
In the second inninng, Grant singled out to third base and right after, senior first baseman Jordan Woolery hit a home run to center field and Grant ran it home, granting the Bruins a 6-0 lead. In tune with the program, Alejandre hit a home run to left field after Bragg singled to left center, both scored.
Rutgers struggled to match UCLA’s offensive momentum.
After being hit by a pitch in the top of the fourth, Grant reached first base and was replaced by redshirt junior Rylee Pinedo as a pinch runner. Shortly after, Woolery walked to first, and freshman pitch runner Jaella Ann Mercado ran for her. Pinedo later stole third and scored when Bragg grounded out to the shortstop. Alejandra then singled to left field, bringing Mercado home.
Rutgers managed to get on the board in the bottom of the fourth, as Baileigh Burtis launched a home run and a runner who had reached earlier on a hit by pitch also came around to score. The inning cut UCLA’s lead to 10-2 heading into the fifth.
The jolt of electricity shocked Rutgers into the bottom of the fifth, as Sam Rohwer hit a home run to left field.
Although tensions rose between teams, UCLA finished strong during the last inning.
Grant took advantage of the time and hit a home run to left field. Not long after, Wooldery singled to the left side of the field and then advanced to second after a wild pitch. Bragg walked to first while at bat. Junior left fielder Soo-Jin Berry singled, advanced to third on an error by the catcher and Woolery scored.
With failed final attempts to make a comeback, Rutgers fell to the Bruins with a score of 13-3.
UCLA played an electrifying second game. In hopes of playing with the same energy, the Bruins will play Rutgers for the final game of the three-game series Monday, March 23 at 3 p.m. PST at the Rutgers softball complex in Piscataway, NJ.
