Bruins look

Bruins look

to get off the schneid

Following recent slump, softball hopes to finish with last-game
victory

By Melissa Anderson

Daily Bruin Senior Staff

After dropping four of its last nine games, the No. 2 UCLA
softball team is ready to get back to its winning ways. And with
just two non-conference games remaining in the regular season, the
Bruins will take every win they can get.

The woes continued last weekend for UCLA as it dropped the
second game of a doubleheader with Washington, 1-0. But senior
Jennifer Brundage appears to have emerged from her recent hitting
slump by breaking the school records for career home runs, home
runs in a single season and career doubles.

UCLA closes out the regular season this weekend against Cal Poly
San Luis Obispo at Easton Stadium and with the NCAA Regionals just
a week away, UCLA would like nothing better than to enter the
tournament coming off of two straight victories.

"I think we still remain confident even though we’ve been
inconsistent," UCLA co-head coach Sue Enquist said. "I think they
want to see themselves capitalize on two good games in a row and
not play good and then play crummy. We have to prove to ourselves
that we are capable of being consistent.

"From here on out, if you lose two games, you’re gone. We have
to take each game as if it’s the last and if we do that I think
they will play the way they are capable of playing."

* * *

For seniors Brundage, Kathi Evans, Jenny Brewster, Cindy Valero
and Felicia Cruz, Saturday’s matchup with Cal Poly SLO marks their
final regular season game. All five will be honored in a ceremony
before the 1 p.m. opener.

The Class of ’95 began its UCLA career with a national title in
1991 and has its mind set on going out in the same way it came
in.

"This senior class represents what UCLA Bruin athletics is all
about," Enquist said. "We have people with great physical strength
in Jen Brundage, we have people that are small in stature but with
great talent in Kathi Evans, we have Jenny Brewster ­ who
looks like she’s too thin to do anything and she comes through as a
great athlete.

"We have great mentally tough players like Felicia Cruz and
people who have come through adversity to become a starter like
Cindy Valero. I don’t think this team will fully appreciate this
senior class until next year, when they see a huge void."

* * *

Starting right fielder Kari Robinette, who tore her anterior and
posterior cruciate ligaments in a minor traffic accident April 24,
will take a medical redshirt season in 1996.

"She totally blew her knee out, so it’s going to be a long road
(to recovery)," Enquist said. "Kari is going to have to focus on
one day at a time or she will find herself pretty frustrated."

Robinette started 24 games for UCLA this season and was hitting
.279. She finishes the season with two home runs and a six-game
hitting streak.

Freshman Laurie Frirz has been starting in right since the
accident, but juniors Ginny Mike and Tanya Harding as well as Cruz
should also see increased playing time.