April 29, 2001
LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Second-ranked UCLA scored one run in the first and another in the fourth, giving the No. 3 Stanford softball team its third straight loss as the Bruins picked up a 2-0 win in Pacific-10 Conference action on Sunday afternoon at Easton Stadium. UCLA moves to 49-4 overall and 10-4 in conference play while the Cardinal falls to 44-9-1 and 9-6 in the Pac-10.
UCLA took a 1-0 lead in the first when Stacey Nuveman's double down the right field line scored Natasha Watley, who led off with a single. The Bruins had a chance to add to their lead with runners on second and third with one out. But Stanford starting pitcher Tori Nyberg got two ground outs to end the threat.
In the third, Nyberg pitched out of another jam. After allowing a pair of base hits with one out, Nyberg forced a ground out and a pop up to end the inning with runners on second and third.
Crissy Buck gave UCLA an insurance run in the fourth with a leadoff home run. The shot to left field was her first of the year.
Stanford's first scoring opportunity came in the fifth inning. After Keira Goerl pitched four innings of no-hit ball, Courtney Dale came on in relief. She retired the first Cardinal batter she faced, but walked Cassi Brangham and hit Jenni Shideler. Dale then got two ground outs to end the inning with two runners left on base.
The Cardinal didn't get a hit until the sixth inning when Jessica Mendoza led off with a single up the middle. But Mendoza was forced out at second on Sarah Beeson's grounder. Beeson was also out at second on the same play when she tried to advance after Mendoza was tagged out.
Stanford had one more chance in the top of the seventh when Jessica Allister singled to lead off the inning. Jessica Draemel went in to pinch run and advanced to second on a wild pitch. But a fly out and a strikeout ended the game.
Nyberg took the loss in the circle to fall to 6-1. She gave up two runs on eight hits. UCLA's Goerl earned the win to move to 21-1. She struck out two and gave up no hits.
The two wins by UCLA and one by Washington on Friday mark the first time Stanford has been swept in a weekend of Pac-10 play. It is also the longest losing streak (three games) for Stanford this year.
The Cardinal is next in action on Wednesday in a non-conference doubleheader at Sacramento State. Pac-10 play continues on Friday at home when the Arizona schools come to The Farm. UCLA 2, Stanford 0 Score by Innings1234567R H E #3 Stanford00000000 2 0 #2 UCLA 100100x2 8 1 WP - Keira Goerl (21-1) to Stacey Nuveman. LP - Tori Nyberg (6-1) to Jessica Allister. Save - Courtney Dale (3). 2B - Stacey Nuveman (UCLA), Marcel Torres (UCLA). 3B - None. HR - Crissy Buck (UCLA). E - Natasha Watley (UCLA). LOB - Stanford 5, UCLA 7. Records: Stanford 44-9-1 (9-6), UCLA 49-4 (10-4).