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After a 7-3 victory yesterday, the Bruins improved to 30-2 on the season.
UCLA started yesterday’s game strong, Second baseman Kylee Perez scored in the first on a double from Aaliyah Jordan. Jordon would advance to third on a groundout and eventually score off a single from Rachel Garcia. The Bruins would finish the first up 2-0.
UCLA’s starter was the previous game’s closer Freshman Holly Azevedo. Azevedo has impressed this season, with a 10-0 record and an ERA of 1.77. After hitting a batter with a pitch on the third throw of the game, Holly would retire the next three to end the inning.
The Bruins would eke in another run in the top of the 2nd to gain a 3-0 lead. Azevedo had a poor start to the 2nd, allowing in succession a walk, a single, and a double before ending the inning with a strikeout.
The Utes would score again in the third, this time off a throwing error by the Bruins shortstop Brianna Perez, tying the game 3-3. The tie would not last long and a walk followed by a triple from Brianna Perez would give the Bruins a 4-3 lead in the fourth.
Azevedo was dynamite the rest of the game, allowing only one more hit for the rest of the game. The Bruins grabbed three insurance runs in the fifth with a home run from center fielder Bubba Nickles. Neither team would score for the remainder of the game and the Bruins would grab win number 30 with a 7-3 victory.
The Bruins are strong favorites to win again today but Utah remains a threat, especially considering the scare they gave the Bruins two days ago. The Bruins have scored 16 runs in the last two games and I expect that strong offense to continue, hopefully though it’s accompanied by better fielding and fewer sloppy mistakes.
This is your UCLA vs. Utah softball open thread.
Go Bruins!