| Softball |
|---|
| Penn State — 1 |
| UCLA — 6 |
Often we hear the phrase, “Better late than never.”
And the Bruins ran with it.
No. 3 seed UCLA softball (46-7, 20-4 Big Ten) defeated No. 11 seed Penn State (33-21, 11-13 Big Ten) 6-1 for its first game in the Big Ten tournament quarterfinal after an hour and a half delay.
It was a smooth start for the Bruins in the first inning.
Penn State was up at bat first. Penn State’s Breanna Hanik hit a single to center field. Some time after, a double was hit to right field to push Hanik to third base. After a strikeout and an unassisted ground ball to first base, it was time for the Bruins to make their way.
After a flyout by sophomore left fielder Rylee Slimp to left field, senior right fielder Megan Grant hit a home run that felt almost immediate in comparison to the course of the inning. Next on the lineup, senior first baseman Jordan Woolery doubled down the line towards left field and redshirt freshman shortstop Aleena Garcia hit a home run to center field.
Both scored.
Who were the Bruins to let the fire burn out?
Right after the two runs, freshman third baseman Bri Alejandre hit a home run. The Bruins sat at three runs total to sit in a good position to move forward into the next inning.
Penn State kept the same pace from the first to the second inning. The Lions managed to make it to second base on a wild pitch. Ultimately, it was not enough to score in a run.
UCLA was at bat, Slimp doubled to left center and Grant walked to load the first two bases. Woolery grounded out to shortstop, Slimp advanced to third, and Grant to second base. The Bruins were moving incredibly steadily. Not long after, Garcia walked to third base to fill all three bases.
Tensions rose quickly. The inning ended with a strikeout before the Bruins could make it home.
To match the energy from the first inning, redshirt junior catcher Alexis Ramirez hit a home run to left-center field to make the Bruins’ fourth home run in the bottom of the third. Not long after, junior designated player Soo-Jin Berry scored after freshman center field Jolyna Lamar’s triple hit to left center.
Penn State struggled to turn things around throughout the fourth and fifth innings. In both innings, the Lions totaled two left on base, zero runs and one hit. As if taking in the same air, the Bruins were unable to score in a run.
However, this gave the Bruins enough time to prepare for the remainder of the game.
Penn State’s slow streak broke in the top of the sixth inning. Penn State’s Frankee Flesher hit a single through to the left side of the field. Then, got out at shortstop after another Lion reached first on a fielder’s choice. Moments after a reach on an error and a sacrifice bunt led to their first run of the game.
But one of the many things the Bruins are good at is closing a game at the right time.
Alejandre grounded out to shortstop, Bragg struck out and Ramirez grounded out to shortstop. The Bruins closed off the sixth inning with a win of 6-1.
That’s right.
This win pushed the Bruins to the Big Ten tournament semifinal.
The Bruins will play again this week on Friday, May 8, at the Maryland softball stadium at 4:00 p.m. PT against No. 7 seed Wisconsin.
