The Bruins have faced the Ducks 81 times since their maiden matchup in 1999.
Both teams have fared well since their split from the Pac-12 conference – prior to the weekend series, Oregon achieved a program all-time best with their 38-4 record and UCLA tallied twelve consecutive wins – but their roots have never been forgotten. In fact, their long-standing history has fueled a tussle for No. 1 in their new shared conference’s rankings.
And with Saturday’s sweep on the board, the Bruins have reclaimed the top spot.
The decisive 8-0 victory reignited hope for the series after a dismaying first game, which had earned Oregon the first slot in the Big Ten Tournament and left UCLA empty-handed.
A shattered double digit win streak and ten strikeouts weren’t the stats the team was hoping to tally, but the disappointment had been no match for their toughness.
The Bruins returned to Jane Sanders Stadium less than 24 hours later for a rematch, and with freshmen utility Kaniya Bragg and pitcher Addisen Fisher at the helm, they delivered the Duck’s first mercy-rule loss of the season.
The latter – the top-ranked player of her signing class and now the country’s lone undefeated freshman – orchestrated a complete shutout, pitching three strikeouts and permitting a mere three hits from a trio of their opponent’s best.
The Oregon native’s performance was championed by an admirable effort from the offense. They had struggled against the Ducks’ lineup of pitchers the day before, particularly junior Lyndsey Grein, but began to rediscover their strength in Saturday’s matchup. By the time the umpire declared a run-ahead rule victory, the Bruins had recorded eight runs and five walks, with junior infielder Jordan Woolery, sophomore outfielder Kaitlyn Terry and graduate outfielder Jessica Clements all playing a part in the endeavor.
But it was Bragg – a Big Ten Freshman of the Week honoree – who clinched the game for the Bruins with her sixth inning feat: a three-run homer off of Oregon’s Taylour Spencer.
The prowess of the blue-and-gold freshmen pairing shores up UCLA’s chance at a series victory, and though the outcome of the weekend still hangs in the balance, the Bruins march forward into the third and final game with newly gained momentum. They will fight to defend their No. 1 Big Ten ranking on Easter Sunday at 2 p.m.
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Featured Image Photographed by Catherine Rodriguez/BruinLife
