By Greg Lewis
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
The No. 3 UCLA softball team played almost perfect softball,
sweeping four games in the NCAA Regionals at Easton Stadium last
weekend. With a dominating 7-1 win over fourth-seeded and No.
24-ranked Florida State (51-27) Sunday, the top-seeded Bruins
(43-11) clinched a chance to defend their NCAA title with a berth
to next weekend’s College World Series in Oklahoma City.
Sunday’s championship game was the Amanda Freed show.
Freed, the Regional’s Most Outstanding Player, had a no-hitter
going until Rita Brooks legged out an infield single in the sixth.
Freed started three and won all four regional games for UCLA.
“I felt loose and warm out there, I really wanted to
remember to take things batter by batter, instead of looking at the
big picture,” she said. “The defense was really on
today, they helped me out and made some plays that made me feel
better out there.”
Outscoring their opponents 31-6 over the course of the
tournament, the Bruins were never in danger of losing any games.
All-Tournament honorees third-baseman Julie Adams and outfielder
Crissy Buck typified why the Bruins were able to perform so well.
Not only did UCLA get the expected clutch performances from the
likes of Lyndsey Klein and Freed, but Adams and Buck, struggling at
the plate for most of the season, hit .545 and .308, respectively,
in the tournament.
Continuing their weekend-long trend of making it easy on Freed
by scoring in bunches, the Bruins scored four in the fourth on
Sunday.
The first run came in unusual fashion. With two outs and runners
on first and second, catcher Julie Marshall bounced a ball back to
the circle, which pitcher Leslie Malerich bobbled and threw to
first.
Marshall was safe on the error, but leftfielder Lupe Brambila
was seemingly caught between third and home. First baseman Becky
Wallace fired over to Becky Brock at third, but Brock fell
backwards and Brambila came home to put the Bruins up 1-0. Klein
then blasted a full-count pitch over the left field wall for a
three-run home run.
The Bruins scored three more in the sixth when Brambila and
Freed singled to open the inning, and Marshall stroked another
three-run shot to left-field.
On Friday the Bruins pounded third-seeded and 20th-ranked Long
Beach State, hitting starter Kristi Fox (24-10) for 10 runs in five
and two-thirds innings. The game, which knocked the 49ers (39-23)
from the double-elimination tournament, was closer, however, than
the 10-4 score indicated.
“The level of play has increased ““ all the hitters
are good, that’s why you see such a high score,” Fox
said. “But if I’m gonna lose to somebody, it might as
well be UCLA.”
Buck hit her first home run of the season and first ever in
Easton Stadium. Buck, known more as a superior defensive player and
excellent bunter, has been on a tear recently, batting .409 since
May 11, raising her season average from .173 to .243. Two of her
three career home runs have come in the postseason.
Courtney Dale started the game and pitched three and two-thirds
strong innings before giving way to Freed. Dale’s pitches
were clocked in the mid-60s for most of the game, signalling that
she is close, although not quite back, to her pre-shoulder injury
form. Dale missed much of the season with a torn labrum in her
pitching shoulder before returning to limited duty in April.
In the Long Beach State half of the fourth, the 49ers loaded the
bases with one out when Nicole Spencer singled home LBSU’s
third run and Erin Tucker walked home another one. UCLA head coach
Sue Enquist than brought Freed in from center field to shut the
door. Freed immediately struck out Elizabeth Sanches on a changeup,
ending the threat.
“That’s the greatest compliment you can give to a
pitcher, to bring her into a situation like that,” Enquist
said. “She has done such a good job of leading this team
inside the circle, and from the leadoff spot. Leading on both
offense and defense is tough to do.”
The Bruins scored three runs in the second inning, two in the
third and five in the sixth, again putting together multi-run
innings. Klein opened the second frame with a single off Fox and
immediately came home on an RBI double by Dale. With two outs, left
fielder Lupe Brambila then walked and Freed singled home Dale,
scoring the second run. Fox walked third baseman Julie Adams,
bringing home the third run.
In the next frame, first baseman Tairia Mims was hit by
Fox’s pitch with two outs, setting the stage for Buck’s
home run. In the fifth, Brambila walked between singles by Buck and
Watley, loading the bases for Adams. Adams promptly singled home
Buck and Brambila for the sixth and seventh runs of the game.
Klein, a clutch performer all season, then doubled home Watley and
Erin Rahn, who was pinch running for Adams. Dale singled home Klein
for the final run of the game.
Saturday’s game would have been the Julie Adams show, but
Freed stole at least part of the spotlight by effectively using all
seven of her pitches to shut down the speedy Seminoles.
“What makes (Freed) so tough is all the tools she
has,” Enquist said “(She) did such a great job of
leading us in the circle, just like she’s done all
year.”
Adams had her best outing of the season to put the Bruins into
Sunday’s Region 4 championship game, going 4-for-4 with a
double and three RBIs.
“I feel good. I’m back,” said Adams, who got a
late start to the season after shoulder surgery. “My swing is
there, and I’m staying in and (using) good pitch selection.
I’ve got my timing back, and I can be aggressive in the
(batter’s) box.”
The Bruins again got on the board early, scoring two runs in the
first inning. Freed doubled to open the action, and Watley singled
her over to third before stealing her 32nd base of the year. Freed
scored on a wild pitch before Adams singled home Watley for her
first RBI of the day.
With one out in the fourth, Mims homered to deep left to put the
Bruins up 3-0. Buck laid down a bunt single, and Brambila walked,
forcing out FSU starting pitcher Jennifer White-Stokes in favor of
ace Leslie Malerich. Freed grounded out to third, advancing the
runners, and Adams singled home Buck.
“Everything they did worked. They’re a very
disciplined team,” Seminole head coach JoAnne Graf said.
“They’ve got some great hitters. There is no doubt
about that.”
UCLA plated two insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth on
Adams’ third RBI of the afternoon, a double that brought home
Watley from first. Marshall then became the 12th player in NCAA
history to net 200 RBIs when she singled home Adams. Marshall,
UCLA’s all-time RBI leader, also broke the school record for
games played with 241. The Bruins continued on to post a score of
6-1 against FSU.
Joining Freed, Adams and Buck on the All-Tournament team were
Klein and Watley from UCLA, Malerich, Brooks, Andi Lyons and Staci
Brandon from FSU, Alicia Gerlach and Kelly Zielstra from Iowa and
Genevieve Garcia of Canisius.