Natasha Watley was on base seemingly the entire weekend.
In the Stacy Winsberg Memorial Tournament over the weekend,
Watley went 9-for-13 with three RBIs and two walks, leading the
Bruins to victory in three of their four games and the tournament
title.
“My weekend was pretty good, but there’s always
something to work on,” the All-American shortstop said.
Friday, No. 1 UCLA opened the season with a 9-0 (5-inning)
thrashing of Loyola Marymount.
However, one at-bat was key for the Bruins.
The game was still scoreless in the second inning when UCLA
outfielder Amanda Simpson stepped up to the plate with two outs and
runners on second and third.
Simpson was used mainly as a pinch-runner in 2002 and
didn’t have an at-bat the entire season.
Still, she battled, fouled off a couple of pitches, and drew a
walk. After that, Watley doubled, and the Bruins went on to score
five runs in the inning.
“I just went up to the plate relaxed, just trying to get a
hit, a walk, or something,” Simpson said.
Caitlin Benyi hit her first home run in the game.
On Saturday the Bruins suffered their first loss of the season
against No. 10 Cal State Fullerton 2-0. For the Titans,
All-American Gina Oaks was the batting and pitching star of the
game.
On the very first pitch of the game by Goerl, Oaks hit a line
drive home run that just curled around the left field foul pole.
After an Amy LaRocque double that drove in Amanda Hockett, Goerl
settled down and got out of the jam by striking out Krista
O’Hanian.
Despite giving up eight walks, Oaks was able to maneuver out of
two bases loaded jams by striking out Toria Auelua twice.
For the game, Auelua left eight runners on base, five of them in
scoring position. Oaks earned her second win of the season, handing
Goerl her first loss of the year.
The Bruins got a half hour to recollect their thoughts before
playing the No. 22 Alabama Crimson Tide and promptly fell in a
two-run hole in the top of the first inning just as they did
against Fullerton.
However the results would be different as Auelua redeemed
herself with a two-run double in the bottom of the first, scoring
Natasha Watley, and Tairia Mims, that tied the score at two.
“I will continue to buy into Auelua,” head coach Sue
Enquist said. “I continue to trust her because she gives me
everything she has.”
After an Ashley Courtney two-run home run that knocked out Bruin
freshman starting pitcher Michelle Turner, Goerl, like Auelua, got
her chance at redemption.
Like Auelua, she did not fail as she pitched 4.2 innings of
shutout ball, only giving up one hit along the way in UCLA’s
5-4 win.
The winning runs for UCLA were scored in the bottom of the
fourth as the Bruins took advantage of two errors and a wild pitch
by Alabama, taking a 5-4 lead they would not relinquish.
On Sunday, UCLA beat Cal State Northridge 2-0. Stephanie Ramos
drove in both runs, and went 3-for-4 with a double. To top it off,
she also made a diving catch in center field.
“The game is paying Ramos back,” Enquist said.
“She ignites us.”
Goerl pitched another shutout, allowing two hits.
The Bruins’ next game is a doubleheader Wednesday at UC
Riverside in the Highlanders’ first game of 2003.