UCLA softball overcomes Long Beach State in doubleheader
With two outs in the top of the seventh inning, junior pitcher Ally Carda hit a game-tying single against Long Beach State.
(Katie Meyers/Daily Bruin senior staff)
By Matt Joye
April 22, 2014 1:02 a.m.
Although the doubleheader between UCLA and Long Beach State took place at a public recreation park in Lakewood, Calif., the games were hardly a walk in the park for either team.
No. 2 UCLA (41-4, 12-3 Pac-12) trailed in both the first and second game of its doubleheader against Long Beach State (33-13, 10-2 Big West), but came back to win both games handily.
“These mid-week (series) are tough to kind of lock in and keep the way we’re playing the same,” said junior pitcher Ally Carda. “So I think it helps a lot with the team to know that no matter what the situation is that we can, you know, pull out a win whatever way we can.”
In the first game, the spectators barely had time to settle into their lawn chairs before the 49ers jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. The Bruins then responded promptly with a three-run home run by Carda in the top of the second inning to tie the game.
Long Beach State broke the tie in the bottom of the second inning, scoring two runs to take a 5-3 lead. Then, the scoring barrage was put on hold until the top of the fifth inning, when UCLA came out firing once again.
UCLA had its first two batters reach base in the top of the fifth, before freshman outfielder Gabrielle Maurice delivered a run-scoring double to cut the Long Beach State lead to 5-4. Then, UCLA senior Jessica Hall, who entered the game as a pitcher in the bottom of the third inning, hit a sacrifice fly to tie the game at 5-5.
But just like earlier in the game, Long Beach State would not allow UCLA to take the lead. The 49ers countered the second UCLA comeback with a run in the bottom of the sixth. The Bruins then had one final chance to overcome the 49ers in the top of the seventh and final inning.
Facing a 6-5 deficit in the top of the seventh inning, the Bruins hardly looked rattled, even when they were down to their final out. They exploded for five runs, and shut down the 49ers’ bats in the bottom of the seventh to clinch the 10-6 victory.
“They have a great presence, there’s no panic, they have great quality at-bats toward the end,” said coach Kelly Inouye-Perez. “Never ever count us out, down to the last pitch.”
Although the Bruins’ comeback victory may have provided a momentum boost for the team, the first few innings of the second game didn’t indicate that UCLA had any such advantage. Through the first three innings of the second game, Long Beach State held a 1-0 lead.
Then, the Bruins shifted into overdrive, just as they had in the final inning of game one. They scored six runs over the next two innings, and would go on to win the game 8-1.
“I think in the past … we came out and we lacked focus in those mid-week games,” said junior catcher Stephany LaRosa. “But we did a great job of coming out and staying focused today, and I’m really proud of my team.”
