The Associated Press UCLA’s Amanda Freed
throws against San Diego State during the second inning of the NCAA
Regionals.
By Andrew Borders
Daily Bruin Reporter
The names were a little different, but the result was the same
for this year’s UCLA softball team as it was for last
year’s team: three and out.
In each of the last two years, the Bruins (62-6) have had an
easy time with the competition, more or less, but after each Bruin
team won its first three games in the Women’s College World
Series, they lost in the championship game to a team that they
could have and arguably should have beaten. In 2000, it was
Oklahoma. This year, it was Arizona.
But unlike Arizona, UCLA’s talent was not vested almost
entirely in its senior class.
Of the six freshmen on the UCLA roster this year, three had
significant impact: pitcher Keira Goerl, outfielder Stephanie
Ramos, and designated player Claire Sua.
When senior Courtney Dale (8-0, 0.73 ERA) failed to fully
recover from a 2000 shoulder injury, Goerl (27-2, 1.15 ERA) started
the 2001 season as the number two pitcher. When junior Amanda Freed
(21-4, 0.46 ERA) had elbow problems in mid-April, it was Goerl who
assumed the ace role until the NCAA Regionals a month later.
Ramos contributed as the second hitter in the lineup, batting
.333, homering in the No. 2 regional final against San Diego State
and being named to the regional’s all-tournament team.
Sua (.380) finished third on the team in home runs and was named
to the WCWS all-tournament team as well as the regional team.
UCLA was also helped by the return of junior catcher Stacey
Nuveman (.440, 19 HRs), who took off the 2000 season to play in the
Olympics.
This season the Bruins made a mockery of their non-conference
opponents, going for a perfect 39-0 in those games and winning them
by a collective score of 301-31.
While a tough Pac-10 schedule handed the Bruins all six of their
losses, it was the Wildcats that were UCLA’s foil.
Arizona was the only team to beat UCLA more than once this year,
winning 4-0 at Easton Stadium, 4-0 at Hillenbrand Stadium in
Tucson, and 1-0 in the WCWS final. UCLA’s only victory in the
season series was a 3-0 win at Easton.
The team was able to rebound from the loss at Tucson in the last
weekend of the regular season and cruise through the regional, all
the way to Monday’s title game in Oklahoma City, before
falling once again.
That title game was an example of everything that led to the six
Bruin losses this season. UCLA had an error, representing the shaky
defense that played a major role in its up-and-down conference
schedule. It contained a great pitching performance by Freed, much
like the 24 games she started before Monday. As they have done in
UCLA’s losses and close calls, the Bruin bats went almost
silent in the championship game.
“I think that Amanda Freed went out there and did a
terrific job. Unfortunately, we could not support her in doing the
little things,” UCLA Head Coach Sue Enquist said about the
final, though her assessment could have applied to any number of
games this year.
But there is hope in 2002. UCLA’s all-sophomore infield
(Toria Auelua at third, Natasha Watley at shortstop, Monique Mejia
at second and Tairia Mims at first) could be the best in the
country next year. Nuveman and Freed will be seniors, and Goerl
will have another year under her belt to provide a strong number
two punch now that Dale has departed.
The outfield will be the only question mark next year, as Ramos
is the sole returning player who regularly played there. The other
two outfield positions could be filled by current role players such
as junior Erin Rahn or freshman Marcel Torres.
Freed is confident of the Bruins’ chances to make it to a
fourth consecutive title game.
“We know that we’ll be back next year and this
isn’t our last chance,” she said.
Freed does have one last shot at earning her second NCAA title,
but the Bruins will have to improve upon the 4-7 record
they’ve had against Arizona since Freed’s 1999 rookie
season. UCLA is 1-6 against the Wildcats in the last two
seasons.
Fortunately for UCLA, six of the ten players (including the
designated player) in Arizona’s Monday lineup were seniors,
so 2002 will be UCLA’s best chance to capitalize.
“You work all season to get here,” Freed said of the
national championship.
And she’ll have a long offseason to work on how to get
back and finish what the 2000 and 2001 teams could not.