ONLINE EXTRA: Softball

By Vytas Mazeika
Daily Bruin Senior Staff

UCLA’s 3-2 loss to Arizona two weeks ago signified a
return to form. The softball team didn’t see itself mired in
a three-game losing streak. Instead, the Bruins felt as if they had
just turned a corner.

Since then UCLA (37-6, 5-3 Pac-10) has won four in a row in
conference play and once again looks like the team that has made
three consecutive championship game appearances.

That’s not good news for the Oregon schools, which travel
to Easton Stadium for three games this weekend.

“We feel it now,” Bruin junior second baseman
Monique Mejia said. “We’re kind of getting that old
UCLA softball feeling going.”

Besides wins, there are other rewards for the Bruins.

After long practices for weeks on end, the players got out 40
minutes early on Tuesday. All the extra hours have paid off in
execution and it showed in last weekend’s perfect 3-0
record.

“This team is finding their will,” head coach Sue
Enquist said. “They’re finding how powerful they can be
when they refuse to lose. When they refuse to let up. When they
tell themselves collectively, “˜No matter how, we will figure
out a way.'”

All the praise doesn’t mean things are perfect in
Westwood. Senior pitcher Amanda Freed’s ten shutout innings
versus Cal on Sunday were preceded by a rough two inning stint
against Stanford two days earlier.

On the hitting end, sophomore designated player Claire Sua has
been dropped from the No. 3 order in the lineup. Since the
beginning of conference play, Sua has gone 1-for-24 with 10
strikeouts.

“It’s weird because it’s kind of a long slump.
In that way it’s frustrating,” Sua said. “But
like Coach tells us, “˜One swing and you’re out of
it.’ So I just keep on working hard and hope that one hit
comes this weekend.”

UCLA’s recent track records of overcoming slumps bodes
well for Sua.