Monday, April 20, 1998
Bruins finish rollercoaster week victorious over Oregon
teams
SOFTBALL: UCLA splits wins, losses in two doubleheaders against
strong adversaries
By Kimberly Edds
Daily Bruin Contributor
The comeback kids have done it again.
In a thrilling bottom-of-the-seventh inning, 6-5 win over No. 21
Oregon State (26-16, 6-8 Pac-10) the UCLA softball team (13-18,
3-9) finished the weekend 2-2, losing the first games of both
doubleheaders to No. 17 Oregon (33-18, 5-7 Pac-10) Saturday and
Oregon State on Sunday and winning both of the second games.
The deciding play of the Oregon State game came with two outs
and UCLA third baseman Nicole Odom on first. UCLA right-fielder
Lupe Bambilla singled into center, which was bobbled by the
fielder.
Odom, who was ready to run with two outs, was on her way to
third, which drew the throw from center. Bambilla stole second as
the play was going on at third, which then drew a throw to second.
Odom then stole home during the play at second to give the Bruins
the victory.
"I saw her bobble the ball, and if I scored we would win, so I
really didn’t have anything to lose," Odom said.
It was Odom’s heads-up base running that gave UCLA the win in
game two.
"Odom has great instincts," UCLA softball head coach Sue Enquist
said. "You have to give her a lot of credit."
Kim Wuest homered in the fifth inning of game two to tie the
score at five. Wuest went 2-4 in game two. UCLA catcher Marin Noak
also added some offensive punch in the game, going a perfect 3-3
with a home run and two RBI.
The Bruins almost pulled off a similar come- from-behind win in
game one against Oregon. With one out in the bottom of the seventh
and the Bruins down 6-2 Wuest smacked a 3-run homer. Odom doubled,
but UCLA failed to knock her in, losing the game 6-5.
Offensive threat Oregon State pitcher Tarrah Beyster was held
almost completely at bay with six walks and only one hit. Beyster
finished the day with a loss, dropping her record to 20-9.
"She is such a threat at the plate that even if you throw a good
strike she’s capable of going long. I didn’t want her to beat us. I
wanted the rest of that team to beat us if they were going to,"
Enquist said.
Jeff Kmiotek also contributed to this story.
DAVID HILL
Kim Wuest in action at a previous game. UCLA faced Oregon over
the weekend.