Softball looks to knock home win over Wildcats

Thursday, April 11, 1996

By Brent Boyd

Daily Bruin Contributor

The UCLA softball team is looking to avenge a doubleheader sweep
it suffered in its first meeting with Arizona this season in
Saturday’s 1 p.m. matchup with the top-ranked Wildcats at Easton
Stadium.

At the same time, the Bruins hope to get back into the
conference race at full force, and one UCLA player will have a
chance to make school history. Senior second baseman Kelly Howard
has a chance to break two UCLA career records and move up on the
list in a few other categories.

Howard’s 10 doubles this season have increased her career mark
to 46, and in the process she has tied Jennifer Brundage for the
career lead. Two seasons ago, Howard broke the single-season school
record with 15 doubles, only to be tied by Brundage in last year’s
championship run.

In addition, Howard’s team-leading 31 runs scored this season
leave her only one shy of the Bruin career mark of 145 set by Kathi
Evans, who graduated last year.

Until last weekend’s 4-for-7 performance against Washington,
Howard had struggled since those career marks approached within
striking distance, batting only .222 in her previous 11 games. But
co-head coach Sue Enquist denies that pressing to get these
personal goals out of the way has had anything to do with her
recent troubles at the plate.

"She doesn’t focus on individual stats," Enquist said. "She’s a
total team player and she’s a go-to for us."

* * *

Although the Bruins (28-6 overall, 9-5 Pacific 10) currently
stand at third-place in conference play, behind both Arizona and
Washington, they are at the top of the conference standings in
several categories.

UCLA’s pitching staff has a hold on the top spot in the
standings with an ERA of 1.47. Junior B’Ann Burns is second in the
conference in several categories including wins (18), ERA (1.14),
complete games (17) and is tied for the league lead with 92
strikeouts.

Meanwhile, with a .971 fielding percentage, the team’s defense
remains tops in the league, while the Bruins’ .361 batting average
makes them the second-best hitting team in the conference, behind
only Arizona.

Individually, senior Ginny Mike-Mitchell remains fifth with a
.462 average, while Howard remains the toughest to strike out in
the conference (only two strikeouts in 114 at-bats). Kim Wuest and
Julie Adams hold down the third and fourth spots in home runs, with
seven and six, respectively.

However, Wuest has fallen off of the torrid pace she set at the
beginning of the season. Although her average has remained
consistent at .316, Wuest has not hit a home run since Mar. 2.
Seven of her first nine hits went over the fence, yet she has gone
22 straight games without hitting another one.

"She hit a lot early in the season because people didn’t know
her," Enquist said. "Now they know they can’t make mistakes with
her and don’t give her any good pitches to hit."

The Bruins have been able to remain on top of the conference
statistics despite playing in the toughest conference in the
nation, with five teams in the top 20. The Pac-10 boasts the top
three teams in the nation in Arizona, Washington and UCLA, as well
as No. 11 California and No. 19 Arizona State.

* * *

Saturday’s doubleheader against Arizona will be the last home
game of the season and the last home game in the careers of three
seniors. Kaci Clark, Mike-Mitchell and Howard will all be playing
their last game at Easton Stadium in front of what should be the
largest crowd of the season. Last year’s matchup with Arizona drew
over 1,300 spectators.

It will also be "Fan Appreciation Day," as the first 400 fans
will receive free insulated lunch bags. The first game of the
doubleheader will also be carried live on television across the
nation by Prime Sports.