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Roundup From BN Walk: News & Notes

It's official. Featuring the softball team on center page for open game thread is turning out to be serious mojo for all of our teams.

We will start with the softball team. The ladies remain on track for Oklahoma by rallying to beat Nevada in nine innings:

Freshman Katie Schroeder drove in the game-tying run in the seventh and the go-ahead score in the ninth, while sophomore Megan Langenfeld struck out a career-high 10 in 7 2/3 innings of scoreless relief, as the Bruins came back to defeat Nevada 6-4 in nine innings on Saturday at Easton Stadium.

The Bruins improve to 47-7 overall and will advance to the Regional Championship on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. The Wolf Pack fall to 43-17 and will take on Purdue later Saturday night.

Langenfeld was brilliant in relief, allowing no walks and six hits to improve to 8-2 on the season. The 10 strikeouts were two more than her previous career high.

At the plate, the Bruins had 12 hits. Langenfeld, Schroeder, junior Amanda Kamekona and freshman Monica Harrison each had a pair of hits, while Langenfeld and Schroeder both drove in two runs.

Later in the day Nevada beat Purdue by a score of 2-1 to stay alive in the Los Angeles regional. Nevada's win set up another UCLA-Nevada showdown today at 2:30 pm PST. Our Bruins just need to win one game to get to the world series the super regionals. If Nevada wins the game at 2:30 pm that will set up a final/deciding game between the two teams beginning at 5 pm PST. Let's hope that second game will not be necessary. So please get out to Easton and show your support for these incredibly talented athletes.

Meanwhile, softball team was not alone in coming through with clutch performances yesterday in Westwood. The boys themselves pulled of a huge come from behind (must win) series clincher against Washington State. The baseball team pulled off its own dramatic extra innings win against the Cougars at Jackie Robinson:

Bruin shortstop Brandon Crawford scored the game-winning run on a pop-fly base-hit to center field in the bottom of the 10th inning, sending the UCLA baseball team to a dramatic 7-6 victory over Washington State on Saturday afternoon at Steele Field at Jackie Robinson Stadium.

UCLA's 10th-inning rally began after Crawford drew a leadoff walk, moved to second on a single by designated hitter Cody Decker, and advanced to third base on a balk by Washington State left-hander Ross Humes (4-4). In his second at-bat of the afternoon, center fielder Tim Murphy lifted a fly ball to center field that dropped between the center fielder and second baseman, allowing Crawford to score from third.

Left-hander Brendan Lafferty (3-2) earned his second win in the Bruins' last three games, hurling three scoreless innings in relief. Lafferty allowed two hits and recorded two strikeouts without issuing a walk. Humes was tagged with the loss for the Cougars (28-24, 6-14 Pac-10), surrendering two runs and five hits in two innings of relief.

Right fielder Gabe Cohen led UCLA (28-23, 10-10), going 2-for-4 with two solo home runs. Decker was 3-for-4 with one double and two RBI, and first baseman Casey Haerther went 2-for-5 with one homer.

Cohen and Haerther was solid. But watching the game the two kids I was most impressed with were: Lafferty and Crawford. Lafferty came into the game in a situation that was set up for a complete meltdown. Right after the Bruins tied up the score with Cohen's second homerun at the bottom of the 7th, the Cougars went on to load up the bases with no body out (IIRC) at the top of the 8th. Lafferty - a FRESHMAN RS junior - came in and settled down the situation by giving up just one one and getting our team out of what could have an ugly jam. And he was helped by some spectacular plays by Crawford at shortstop. Really good stuff.

That was the first baseball game I have really gotten to see this season and I really enjoyed it. Hopefully yesterday's clutch win will keep the team focused and keep on their steak which is now at 3 wins.

Speaking of staying on a hot streak, the women's tennis team cruised into the Final-4 yesterday by sweeping Arkansas. They will be back in the Final-4 action on Monday and try to accomplish what their peers (Ben Ball warriors) couldn't do in two tries: beat Florida.

Also on the tennis front, the #3 ranked men's team will try to match the women's team in today's quarterfinal action (5 pm CST) by taking on Southern California.

We will put up another double header game thread for this afternoon  where you can follow all the action online.

Lastly, I will end this little little blurb from WWL who is posing this question for UCLA fans re our football program :

Every football school has a Face of the Program, that iconic image you think of when talking football on campus. Here's your chance to help define who or what that is. Is it that fabled coach? A legendary player? A memorable play? A unique mascot? SportsNation is taking all suggestions as you help decide the Face of the Program.

Here is my suggestion:


You can submit your entry here.

As always you can share your suggestion in our FanShots section. Although please note if you are sharing a pic that is not your own please make sure to mention where you got the picture from.

UPDATE: We now have a poll up on BN wrt the question posed by ESPN. -N

GO BRUINS.

0 recs  |  Comment 11 comments

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Correction

Beating Nevada today does not put the softball team into the College World Series. We will first need to win a best-of-three super-regional series with Georgia next week.

by vanaaron on May 18, 2008 9:15 AM PDT reply actions   0 recs

aaha

My bad. Edited.

by Nestor on May 18, 2008 9:20 AM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Face of the Football Program

In looking at the entries, I liked the votes for the Rose Bowl. My suggestion (but could not find a photo) would be Bob Stiles stopping the Michigan State fullback on the 2 point conversion to preserve UCLA’s Rose Bowl victory in 1966.

by islandbruin on May 18, 2008 10:45 AM PDT reply actions   0 recs

I Agree with the Concept

I think we should pick a big play from a big game in a big season. A Rose Bowl season, a Rose Bowl victory, a top 10 ranking.

Saying that is one thing. Finding that combination is another. Obviously, we have to go back years to get the right picture.

I love Cade McKnown and his toughness.

Stiles is a great suggestion. All my criteria are met. But, it is so long ago.

In that same era, the Tommy Prothro on-side kick in the Rose Bowl.

Perhaps the way to not make it obvious how far back we have to go to find the proper face for our football program is to use the interview of CRN right after he was named the most valuable player in the Rose Bowl. That ties the past to the present without showing how long we have been living in the past.

sjh

by Class of 66 on May 18, 2008 1:01 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Kenny Easley

could be another option.

I would have thought of Aikman as the “face” of UCLA … but Aikman never conquered Troy (a prerequisite in my book to qualify for Bruin greatness).

by Nestor on May 18, 2008 2:51 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

I'm sure I have mentioned it before

But I was at that game. That play is pretty hard to top N. Hopefully in several years, CRN will be the face of UCLA football, both as a player and a coach.

by bruinbabe2000 on May 18, 2008 10:49 AM PDT reply actions   0 recs

Lafferty

is actually a redshirt junior. He’s been our best arm out the the ‘pen all year and showed it again yesterday. A great season for the southpaw and he should anchor the ‘pen again next season too.

by Ryan Rosenblatt on May 18, 2008 11:26 AM PDT reply actions   0 recs

Huh

I should have read this bio. I could have sworn Tompkins called him a freshman yesterday. Should have known to not go by Tompkins.

by Nestor on May 18, 2008 2:31 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Nestor, you are missing our best choice on that poll

How about someone who dominated on the college level, so much so he won the top award for his position? Someone who has gone on to be considered to be the top player in the NFL at his spot, made too many Pro Bowls to count (okay 11) and is a lock in the future as a Hall of Famer. Someone who excelled not only on the field, but also in the classroom, achieving a high GPA in History. Oh, and for good measure, excelled at another sport where he was an All-American as well. Continues to represent the university well through his charity.

Face of our program? I say Jonathan Ogden.

by Free the 16 on May 19, 2008 9:53 AM PDT reply actions   0 recs

I think you're missing the obvious

All the names which have been suggested are great Bruins. But the question is not “name a great Bruin” but “Who is the Face of the Program in Bruin football.” The face of our program is out and about in the community. There are several videos up here in the BN. It seems to me that any time anyone says anything about the program, the reference is quickly to one guy – Rick Neuheisel. I think he’s the current Face of the Program.

by Fox 71 on May 19, 2008 2:27 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

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