Aided by a trio of home runs, the Bruins (40-5, 12-1 Big Ten) escaped a late-game push by Washington (29-12, 7-5 Big Ten) to win 6-5 at Easton Stadium on Sunday. UCLA won all three games against the Huskies this weekend, marking their 4th sweep in Big Ten play.
With the victory, the Bruins have now won 12 straight games, their longest such streak of the season. The team also remains undefeated at home, at an impressive 16-0.
The game was back and forth throughout, with each team quickly responding to the other’s offensive output. However, with dark clouds shrouding the stadium, both teams were relatively quiet for the first couple of innings. UCLA took the 1-0 lead thanks to a wild pitch, before a Washington single brought in a runner of their own, leveling the score at 1-1 in the 2nd inning.
However, as the sun began to shine and the clouds opened up, so did the offense. In the bottom of the third, the Bruins came alive, scoring three runs. The charge began with a solo home run from Megan Grant, her 22nd of the season, the most in the nation. Later in the inning, with a runner on second, Alexis Ramirez launched a deep shot to left field, extending UCLA’s lead to 4-1.
Washington wasted no time responding, matching the Bruins’ third inning with three runs of their own in the top of the fourth. Kaitlyn Terry found herself in trouble immediately, conceding a pair of singles and hit-by-pitch to load the bases with no outs. A second hit-by-pitch brought in a Husky baserunner, ending Terry’s day at pitcher. A walk and a sacrifice fly brought in two more, tying the game at 4-4.
Savannah Pola hit a home run off the right field pole in the fourth before an error brought in Terry in the sixth, extending UCLA’s lead to 6-4 entering the seventh and final inning. But Washington was not done yet.
Down to their final out, Washington’s Alexis DeBoer hoped to spark some momentum, homering to right field and bringing the game within one run. However, the rally was quickly shut down by Addisen Fisher, who forced a groundout to third base and sealed the Bruins’ 6-5 triumph.
Fisher, after a shaky top of the fourth, settled into a groove, stopping the Husky offense in its tracks. She went on to give up just one hit over the next three innings, forcing three strikeouts and improving to 13-0 on the season.
The Bruins’ offense was powered by an all-around effort, with every batter except for one reaching base at least once. The team also struck out just twice as a unit. Pola stuck out in the affair, batting 2-4 with two hits, two runs and a RBI. The team batted well throughout the entire series, hitting .312 as a unit and launching eight home runs.
Up next for UCLA is likely its toughest battle of the season, going on the road to face No. 4 Oregon in a three-game series. The Ducks and Bruins are currently tied for the best record in the Big Ten, and with just three weeks left before the end of the regular season, every game counts.
