The Bruins (15-1) opened conference play against #6 ASU (17-2).
The first game on Friday (3/19) was a nail biter. UCLA managed to squeeze out a victory (2-1) with a walk off double by Aaliyah Jordan (1/4, RBI, DBL) scoring Briana Perez (1/4, R) in the bottom of the 8th.
Rachel Garcia (2-0, 0.00 ERA) battled Lindsay Lopez (6-1, 1.65 ERA) and Allison Royalty (5-1, 2.67 ERA) in a pitcher’s duel. Garcia (8 Innings, 5 H, R, BB, 14 K) dominated pitching a shutout until yielding a home run in the top of the 7th allowing the Sun Devils to tie the game. Lopez (3 1/3 Innings, 3 H, R, BB, K) and Royalty (3 2/3 Innings, 3 H, R, 2 BB, 4 K) had strong games frustrating the Bruin hitters.
UCLA’s top four (.267 BA, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 DBL, HR, 2K) made the difference generating just enough offense to top ASU’s top four (.125 BA 8K).
In the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader, Megan Faraimo (8-1, 0.76 ERA) got the start against Cielo Meza (6-0, 3.58 ERA). Faraimo (7 innings, 3 H, R, BB, 10K) dominated shutting down the Sun Devils after the first inning earning her 9th win (6-1). The UCLA offense (.348 BA, 6 R, 6 RBI, 3 BB, DBL, 4 HR) erupted with a home run fest chasing Meza (3 innings, 4 H, 3 R, 3K) and then Allison Royalty (3 innings, 4 H, 3 R, 3BB, 2K). ASU’s offense (.125 BA, R, RBI, BB) continued to struggle against the Bruin pitchers.
Holly Azevedo (3-0, 2.70 ERA) started the bottom half of the doubleheader against Lindsay Lopez (6-1, 1.71 ERA). After a strong 1st inning, Azevedo (1 1/3, H, BB, 2K) was relieved when ASU loaded the bases with one out. Rachel Garcia (5 2/3 innings, 2 H, BB, 2K) restored order striking out 2 batters to end the threat. The Bruin pitchers combined for a 3-hit shutout again stifling the ASU offense (.125 BA, 2 BB) and earning UCLA a 4-0 non-conference victory. Lopez (5 innings, 8 H, 3 R, BB, K) held the Bruins in check through 5 innings allowing only 1 run. In the bottom of the 6th, UCLA opened with a Maya Brady (1/3, R, RBI, HR) home run and an Alyssa Garcia (1/3, DBL) double. Lopez was quickly replaced by Cielo Meza (1 inning, H, 1 R, 2 BB) who struggled.
The Bruins run ruled ASU (9-0 (5)) in the final conference game of the weekend. Megan Faraimo (4-1. 0.76 ERA) continued to dominate (5 Inning, 2 H, BB, 8 K). Allison Royalty (5-2, 2.38 ERA) started but struggled with illegal pitches. She left after 2 outs in the first inning (2 H, 3 R, 2 BB) with the bases loaded. Lindsey Lopez (3 1/3 Inning, 8 H, 6 R, 2 BB, 4 K) entered and Maya Brady (3/3, R, 6 RBI, HR) belted her third pitch for a grand slam home run. The Bruin offense (.476 9 R, 9 RBI, 4 BB, 2 DBL, 2 HR, 2 SB) scored in every inning. ASU continued to struggle offensively (.111 BA, 2 H, BB) and the Sun Devils cleared their bench in the bottom of the 3rd.
Notes and Observations:
Bruin Offense (.337 BA, 21 R, 21 RBI, 13 BB, 7 DBL, 8 HR)
Bruin Pitching (0.53 ERA, 13 H, 2 R, 5 BB, 36 K, 3 CG, .137 Opp BA)
Around the Pac 12
UCLA and Oregon are tied for the conference lead after Oregon (19-1, 3-0) swept Utah (9-9, 0-3) in four close games.
Washington 22-2, 2-0) won 2 conference games against Arizona (14-5, 0-2) before the final two games were rained out.
Oregon State (13-7, 2-1) won 3 games (2 conference) against UC Berkeley (12-7, 1-2).
ASU (17-6, 0-3) lost 4 to UCLA and shares the bottom of the conference standings.
Stanford (17-4, 0-0) swept three games from Loyola Marymount.
Next Games:
University of California @ Levine-Fricke Field Berkeley, CA
Mar 26 (Fri) 2:00 PM PT
Mar 27 (Sat) 12:00 PM PT
Mar 27 (Sat) 2:30 PM PT
Mar 28 (Sun) 11:30 AM PT
Preview:
UCLA (19-1, 3-0) visits UC Berkeley (12-7, 1-2) 3/26 – 3/28. The Bruins swept Cal in 3 close games (3-2 (8), 1-0, 6-0) in 2019. UCLA’s superb pitching performance held Berkeley (22 innings, 12 hits, 2 runs) in check for the series while the offense struggled against strong pitching performances by Cal’s Zoe Conley (7.1 innings, 7 hits, 3 runs) and Kamalani Dung (6 innings, 5 hits, 1 run).
Longtime coach Diane Ninemire retired last year, and pitchers Conley and Dung are gone. The new coaching staff features a couple of Mike White disciples Chelsea Spencer and Kailee Cuico (not the Big Bang Theory actress).
The roster is dominated by underclassmen (16 Freshman, 4 Sophomores) and has no seniors.
The Bears sport two solid pitchers in Chloe Romero (6-1, 1.64 ERA) and Freshman Haylei Archer (5-1, 2.82 ERA). Romero’s only loss has been to Oregon St. in the first game (0-6) but was chased after 2 innings in a game 3 loss (2-6). Archer shutout the Beavers (2-0) in UCB’s only conference victory then lost in a close game (3-4) to close the series. They will have their hands full against UCLA’s potent offense (Overall .373 BA, .680 SLG%, .453 OB%, Conference .338 BA, .704 SLG%, .420 OB%) that averaged 5.4 Runs, 1.66 DBLS and 2.33 HRs in conference games last weekend.
The Bears offense starts 5 underclassmen and has struggled (Overall .276 BA, .411 SLG, 361 OB%, Conference .113 BA, .225 SLG%, .213 OB%). They will not find relief in UCLA’s pitching (Overall 1.09 ERA, .148 OBA, Conference 0.70 ERA, .141 OBA).