Softball: Pressure on UCLA builds after pair of losses

The women’s softball team finds itself in an unfamiliar
position after dropping two games to Arizona.

And although a two-game losing streak is nothing for the No. 2
Bruins (27-3, 0-2 Pac-10) to panic about, it does put a little more
pressure on the squad, since this is the most adversity the players
have faced all year.

The team will get its opportunity to rebound from those losses
when it travels to Seattle to play Washington on both Friday and
Saturday at 2 p.m.

The Huskies (26-7, 2-0 Pac-10), who UCLA defeated 5-3 on Feb. 7,
will be another good test for the Bruins. Washington is ranked
seventh in the nation and is currently tied for first in the Pac-10
after defeating Arizona State twice last weekend.

“We had a good game against them, and I think obviously
we’re expecting another couple of good games this
weekend,” said catcher Emily Zaplatosch. “They can hit
the ball, and they can play defense just as well as anybody
else.”

Washington does present a serious challenge for UCLA, but the
Bruins believe they are more than capable of taking the series if
all the elements of their game are in place.

And after the desert debacle last weekend, UCLA is that much
more eager to get back on the field and back on the winning
track.

“The energy this week has been great, considering those
heartbreakers over the weekend,” coach Sue Enquist said.

And despite the losses, the Bruins do have a few positives to
carry over into this weekend. Enquist described the team’s
defense in the first game against Arizona as
“beautiful,” and the offense was able to put up nine
runs in two games against Alicia Hollowell, one of the top pitchers
in the nation.

In UCLA’s previous four games, it was only able to score a
combined nine runs.

First baseman Claire Sua, who had a slow start, may be returning
to her old 2003 form as a vital contributor to the offense. In the
series against Arizona, she had two walks and two hits, including a
two-run home run.

And if the Bruins expect their offense to thrive, they will need
Sua to consistently be a dangerous presence from the clean-up
spot.

Senior ace Keira Goerl (15-2) had a rare poor performance
against Arizona, losing her first two games of the season. Yet
Enquist is vehemently supportive of Goerl, who is anxious to prove
that her performance against Arizona was a fluke.

“You can’t really compare one weekend to
next,” Goerl said. “You have to have a different game
plan for each week. I will have a different game plan for
Washington; they have different hitters.”

Goerl will be faced with yet another difficult task against
Washington this weekend, who has been hitting the ball very well.
Arizona’s sole loss came at the hands of the Huskies during a
preseason tournament March 21, when Washington scored seven
runs.