ROSETTE GONZALES Senior pitcher Amanda
Freed throws a shutout in UCLA’s dominant 8-0 victory over
San Diego State.
By Jon Corwin
Daily Bruin Contributor
The UCLA softball team showed why they are the second-ranked
team in the country, easily winning their first three games of the
season to capture the Cal State Northridge Early Bird Classic over
the weekend.
Sophomore pitcher Keira Goerl threw a no-hitter in the
Bruins’ season opener Friday, allowing only a single batter
to reach base courtesy of a walk. UCLA won the first two games of
the tournament 8-0 by mercy rule, shutting out Louisiana-Monroe on
Friday and SDSU Saturday.
In the tournament finale, the Bruins defeated San Jose State 3-0
behind a two-hitter from Goerl.
“Our pitchers did a great job of executing their game
plans this weekend,” said head coach Sue Enquist. “They
are extremely talented.”
Goerl allowed only two hits and struck out twelve Spartans in
improving her record to 2-0 on the season. Goerl has struck out 22
batters in just two games this season, allowing only five batters
to reach base.
“I felt strong out there this weekend,” Goerl said.
“But I still have a lot of stuff to work on.”
In Sunday’s action, the Bruins got on the board early
after Stacey Nuveman’s groundout plated Natasha Watley, who
singled and stole second to lead off the game. UCLA couldn’t
push more runs across against Spartan starting pitcher Brianne
Ferguson until a fifth inning rally that was sparked by center
fielder Amanda Freed’s single.
Nuveman followed with her second RBI of the game by doubling
home Freed, but was thrown out at third trying to stretch her line
shot to right field into a triple. After catcher Tairia Mims
doubled and first baseman Claire Sua moved her to third on a
flyout, third baseman Toria Auelua scored Mims on a scorching
double, the third two-bagger of the inning for the Bruins.
Three runs wound up being more than enough as UCLA picked up
their third victory of the season against an overmatched, winless
San Jose State team.
“We looked pretty comfortable at the plate this
weekend,” Nuveman said. “We are getting on base, and
that’s what we need to score runs.”
In Saturday’s game, senior pitcher Amanda Freed tossed a
one-hitter and notched two RBIs at the plate to help UCLA cruise
past the Aztecs of SDSU. The Bruins batted around in the eighth
frame, en route to scoring all eight of their runs. The inning was
highlighted by Claire Sua’s first home run of the season, a
triple by Freed, and a game-ending single from Watley.
“Any time you score eight runs in an inning that’s
impressive,” Enquist said. “But at times, we were a
little over-aggressive this weekend.”
Friday’s flawless performance by Goerl was backed up by
three hits from Natasha Watley, along with a combined five RBIs
from Sua and second baseman Monique Mejia.
UCLA heads to Tempe this weekend to take part in the Fiesta Bowl
tournament.