JONATHAN YOUNG/Daily Bruin The Bruins mob senior Stacey
Nuveman at home plate after she hit her 88th career home
run in a 4-2 win over No. 2 Arizona.
By Vytas Mazeika
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
[email protected]
Saturday’s doubleheader against No. 4 Arizona State was of
little consequence for the top-ranked UCLA softball team.
Friday’s 4-2 win over No. 2 Arizona had pretty much
determined the Pac-10 champion.
It’s a shame such a distinction did not guarantee UCLA a
chance to host an NCAA Regional.
The Bruins (50-6, 18-3 Pac-10) secured the conference crown with
4-1 and 6-1 wins over ASU and Sunday were named as the top seed in
the Division I Softball Championship Pairings.
As reward, UCLA was sent to Columbia, S.C., for games May
16-19.
“In our sport we’re used to seeing top seeds be
granted host sites if they meet the criteria, and I’ve always
felt it’s a privilege to host,” UCLA head coach Sue
Enquist said. “Unfortunately that won’t be the case
this year.
“Once you get through the emotion, bottom line is you have
to go on and get it done. The unfortunate thing is we have to pack
our bags.”
UCLA is a resilient, low-maintenance and flexible team according
to Enquist, so as they head east the Bruins are still very likely
to advance to the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma
City.
But the $40,000 invested in light poles for Easton Stadium, a
requirement by the NCAA for host sites, will now go to waste.
The selection process stipulated that top seeds were not
guaranteed to host a regional because site selection was based on
geographic location.
“You look down the list, on paper we’re strong and
hosting wasn’t based on talent or on execution,”
Enquist said. “That’s obvious.”
Friday’s game between the top two teams in the country got
off to an auspicious start for UCLA, as Lovieanne Jung hit Keira
Goerl’s first pitch over the right field fence.
But the Bruins struck back in the bottom of the third. Tucson
native Tairia Mims’ RBI single tied the game at one and
slugger Stacey Nuveman followed with a two-run shot off Arizona ace
Jennie Finch.
It was Nuveman’s 88th career home run, extending her NCAA
career home run record.
“That was probably my fault,” Arizona head coach
Mike Candrea said of the decision to pitch to Nuveman. “You
get her out and it may boost you, and we’ve done it before.
But I think we went to the well a few too many times.”
After disposing of Arizona (48-10, 15-6), who as the No. 2 seed
in the NCAA Regionals will travel to Minneapolis, MN, UCLA took
care of business against Arizona State (40-18, 10-11).
Senior pitcher Amanda Freed tied the UCLA career win record
Saturday with her 96th victory in the first game. Freed pitched
seven innings, allowing one run on six hits.
“I think it was great for us to end with the Arizona
series and lead into the regionals, especially the way we ended
it,” Freed said. “We wanted to be decisive.”
It just wasn’t decisive enough for the NCAA selection
committee.