Unfamilier role no favorite for softball

Friday, May 17, 1996

By Brent Boyd

Daily Bruin Contributor

Entering this afternoon’s matchup against host-school Cal State
Fullerton at the NCAA Regionals, the UCLA softball team finds
itself in unfamiliar territory. No strangers to post-season play,
having competed in 14 of the 15 NCAA Championships, the Bruins find
themselves the underdog to earn a berth in the College World
Series.

Despite ending the season on a 13-game winning streak, the
Bruins (41-8) were handed the second seed in the four-team
double-elimination tournament.

"I can’t remember the last time we were the second seed," said
UCLA co-head coach Sue Enquist, whose Bruins have gone 29-2 in
regional play. "I truly believe we don’t need any additional fuel
added to our fire. We’ll let the committee do whatever they want to
do with us, but our kids are ready."

The NCAA placed the Bruins in what looks to be the toughest of
the eight regionals. In the opening game, UCLA will face the
15th-ranked Titans. Despite losing 11 of its last 16, Fullerton
(39-26) proved itself with several big upsets.

Led by the .337 average and 12 home runs of outfielder Senetha
Thomas, the Titans have defeated No. 7 Michigan, No. 5 Southwestern
Louisiana, No. 3 Fresno State, and second-ranked Arizona, something
the Bruins were unable to accomplish in four tries this season. In
addition, they lost to top-ranked Washington on a bloop single, and
handed sixth-ranked Cal State Northridge a 5-1 loss early in the
season.

A rematch with Northridge is likely as the Matadors enjoy the
No. 1 seed in the regional. The winner of the UCLA-Fullerton
matchup will most likely earn a date with Northridge, as they open
against Southwest Missouri State.

Northridge earned the fourth-seed in the entire 32-team
tournament by virtue of its 42-14 regular season finish. Competing
in the tough Western Athletic Conference, the Matadors finished
second behind Fresno State. They have had a few key non-conference
victories themselves, defeating Southwestern Louisiana, Washington,
and 10th-ranked UNLV.

"Both Fullerton and Northridge are extremely good clubs,"
Enquist said. "They have had significant victories. The key for us
is not to look past any of our opponents. If we continue to
concentrate on our playing and continue to play at the same level
we have been playing at, we should do fine."

Southwest Missouri State rounds out the four-team region,
earning the automatic bid from the Missouri Valley Conference by
virtue of a four-game run through the MVC tournament. The Bears won
15 of their final 16 games, to go along with an early season 2-1
upset over Michigan.

One question mark for the Bruins is whether shortstop Nicole
Odom will take the field this weekend. A sore shoulder has forced
her to sit out the last five games.