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UCLA softball claims 2 run-rule wins over UNLV to end pre-conference play

Starting in both games of the doubleheader Friday, redshirt sophomore outfielder Kelli Godin went 2-for-5 on the day, contributing one run and two RBIs – including the walk-off home run in the second game – to help No. 3 UCLA softball win two straight games against UNLV. (Ashley Kenney/Assistant Photo editor)

Softball


UNLV0
No. 3 UCLA10
UNLV0
No. 3 UCLA8

By Gavin Carlson

March 13, 2021 2:49 p.m.

Through the first 221 at-bats of her career, Kelli Godin had never hit a home run.

At-bat No. 222 ended that streak in walk-off fashion.

With one out in the bottom of the fifth inning, the redshirt sophomore outfielder hit a towering two-run home run over the right field wall to make the score 8-0 and clinch the second five-inning run-rule victory of the day for No. 3 UCLA softball (15-1) against UNLV (11-6). The win came after a 10-0 victory in the first half of the doubleheader and capped off the fourth straight run-rule victory for the Bruins.

“It feels good,” Godin said. “It just feels like all my hard work has paid off. All those hours of just hitting away with (volunteer assistant) coach Don (Slaught) and coach (Kelly Inouye-Perez) – everything’s just paid off.”

Despite failing to hit a long ball until game 101 of her career Friday evening, Godin’s first 100 games earned her plenty of recognition.

The outfielder was named a Softball America Second Team All-American and a member of the All-Pac-12 Conference First Team because of a .418 batting average during her freshman campaign in 2019. After falling to a .364 batting average in a shortened 2020 season, Godin has 14 hits in her first 33 at-bats of 2021 – good for a .424 average.

Inouye-Perez said Godin – who is also a former All-Pac-12 Defensive Team member and has been in the top two of the conference in steals each of her first two seasons – has worked to become an even larger threat at the plate.

“(Godin) was really committed to working on being more of a hitter,” Inouye-Perez said. “She’s fast, she can slash, she can bunt, but she wanted to complete all parts of her game. So that’s literally just a product of her putting the work in. I think she’s pulled together a pretty powerful swing.”

After scoring eight runs in each of their two games the day before, the Bruins kept their offense hot Friday with eight hits and 10 runs in the early game and 11 hits and eight runs in the second. Redshirt junior infielder Briana Perez hit two-run homers in the first inning of both games, leading UCLA to its seventh straight game with at least seven runs.

In addition to its hitting success, UCLA also got two complete-game shutouts from its starting pitchers. Redshirt senior pitcher/first baseman Rachel Garcia struck out 14 Rebels – out of 15 possible outs – and allowed just one hit in the first game, while redshirt sophomore pitcher/first baseman Megan Faraimo fanned 12 while allowing only one hit in the second game.

Inouye-Perez said the team’s strong pitching makes things easier for their hitters.

“The confidence that it brings to the entire team, that allows them to have those relaxed at-bats and be able to put some runs on the board,” Inouye-Perez said. “I sat back and watched both (Garcia) and (Faraimo) today and said, ‘You know, this is going to be pretty special having both of them be able to go back-to-back like that.’”

The Bruins will now have a week break for finals before beginning their first official conference games of the season against Arizona State on Friday. The team ended its initial nonconference stretch with four five-inning run-rule victories in the last two days and eight in its last 10 games against teams outside the Pac-12.

After UCLA missed out on conference play last season because of the abbreviated season, redshirt sophomore utility Anna Vines says the team is excited to finish what it started last year.

“We’re so ready to finish out this year and do what we came to do last year,” Vines said. “We’re ready – we’ve prepared for it all fall and even winter, so I think we’re ready and prepared and really excited (for Pac-12 play).”

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Gavin Carlson | Sports staff
Carlson is currently a staff writer on the football, men's basketball and women's basketball beats. He was previously a reporter on the softball and men's golf beats.
Carlson is currently a staff writer on the football, men's basketball and women's basketball beats. He was previously a reporter on the softball and men's golf beats.
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