For the first time in the 2016 season, all three of UCLA softball’s available pitchers gave up earned runs in a single game.
The poor performance in the circle at Easton Stadium allowed the Oregon State Beavers (26-12-1, 5-8-0 Pac-12) to overtake the No. 13 Bruins (26-12-1, 7-4-1 Pac-12) 8-2 in the first game of their midseason weekend series.
The UCLA defense was immediately under attack from Oregon State batters, as sophomore pitcher Selina Ta’amilo gave up two runs on three hits in the top of the first. She was replaced by redshirt junior Paige McDuffee the following inning.
The left-handed McDuffee ran into trouble in the fourth, surrendering a leadoff home run to Oregon State first baseman Alysha Everett, followed by an error, a walk and two singles that allowed another run to score.
Two hits and one run into the top of the fifth, McDuffee was pulled from the game as sophomore Johanna Grauer took over. She allowed only one hit through two innings, but faltered in the seventh as the Beavers added two more runs to their lead.
Ta’amilo was called back in to finish the game on the mound.
Although the Bruins were aggressive in the box throughout the game, they failed to capitalize leadoff hits in the first three innings. They recorded nine LOBs and were scoreless until a fourth-inning one-out rally, in which a string of walks and singles finally put their lone two runs on the board.
UCLA will face off against Oregon State in game two of its series Saturday night at 6 p.m.
