UCLA won the first game of a three-game series against Central Florida with a 9-1 run-rule decision at Easton Stadium, placing the Bruins one victory from reaching the Women’s College World Series. Freshman infielder Bri Alejandre hit a home run in the second inning, tying the Big Ten freshman home-run record with her 23rd of the season. UCF struggled to match UCLA’s offense despite walking UCLA and NCAA home-run leader Megan Grant three times. UCLA added runs through sacrifice bunts, RBI ground outs, and extra-base hits, including a three-run home run by Kaniya Bragg in the fifth. Rylee Slimp closed the scoring with a three-run homer, while UCF managed a fifth-inning solo homer by Sierra Humphreys.
"UCLA claimed the first of a three-game series over Central Florida with a 9-1 run-rule win Friday at Easton Stadium, putting the Bruins one win away from reaching the Women's College World Series. Freshman infielder Bri Alejandre squared up and smashed a home run over the center field wall to give UCLA the lead in the second inning. She tied the Big Ten freshman home-run record with her 23rd bomb of the season."
"UCF struggled to find answers to match UCLA's offensive firepower. Three Knights pitchers tried in vain as the Bruins diced up the diamond even though UCF walked UCLA and NCAA home-run leader Megan Grant three times. Ava Stuewe ended her night in the fourth inning after she walked one Bruin and hit another, putting two players on base. But, her replacement, sophomore Isabella Vega, couldn't find her footing, either."
"UCLA strung together a sacrifice bunt and an RBI-ground out to score one run. Ramsey Suarez sliced a double down the left field line as the ball landed less than a foot into fair territory. Second baseman Kaniya Bragg's three-run home run put UCLA up by five in the fifth inning. And Rylee Slimp ended the game with a three-run homer."
"Yet, UCLA wasn't perfect. The Bruins left the bases loaded when UCF's Sierra Humphreys made a diving catch to end the fourth frame. The Knights clawed back a run when Humphrey, the first batter of the fifth inning, homered over the left field wall. The hit was a small smudge on the Bruins' ace Taylor Tinsley line, finishing with two strikeouts and three hits across the five innings."
Read at Los Angeles Times
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]