April 10, 2012
LOS ANGELES - It was a home run derby in Los Angeles as the No. 15 Stanford softball team and No. 16 UCLA combined for 13 home runs while splitting a double-header at Easton Stadium. The Cardinal, which won the first game 11-9, is now 29-11 overall and 3-8 in the Pac-12, while the Bruins won game two, 12-4 in five innings, and are 26-11overall and 3-5 in the conference.
Junior pitcher Teagan Gerhart picked up the win in the first game, improving to 24-6 on the year. She tallied three strikeouts in 5.0 innings pitched. Freshman Nyree White, who earned the save in game one, took the loss in the second game, falling to 5-5. UCLA's Jessica Hall took the loss in the first game, while Destiny Rodino took the win in game two.
The win by the Cardinal snapped UCLA's 87-game win streak when the Bruins scored six or more runs in a game. In the two games, the team's combined for 13 home runs, seven by UCLA and six by Stanford. Entering tonight's action, the Cardinal had only hit 14 all season.
In the first game, UCLA took an early 2-0 lead as third baseman Stephany LaRosa hit a two-run homer to left field in the top of the first.
The Cardinal answered in the top of the second, tying the score at 2-2. Freshman Cassandra Roulund drew a walk to lead off the inning. Senior first baseman Jenna Becerra then hit a home run over the centerfield wall. It marks the third long ball of the year for Becerra.
Stanford captured the lead in the top of the third as junior second baseman Jenna Rich hit a three-run shot to left field. Rich leads the team this season with six homers.
The Bruins regained the lead in the bottom of the inning. After shortstop Kellie Fox double to left centerfield, first baseman Dani Yudin hit a home run to centerfield. Then, with two on and two outs, LaRosa hit her second home run of the game to give UCLA the 7-5 advantage.
The back-and-forth battle continued in the fifth as Rich hit her second three-run bomb of the game to put Stanford up 8-7. Rich's six RBI is a career high.
A three-run homer by freshman Leah White gave Stanford the 11-8 advantage in the top of the sixth. However, after a pitching change brought in Nyree White for the Cardinal, the Bruins pulled within two in the bottom half of the inning on a two-run single by Talee Snow.
After a one, two, three inning for the Cardinal in the top of the seventh, Stanford held its ground in the bottom half of the inning as Nyree White earned her second save of the year.
Game two picked up right where the teams left off as Hansen hit a solo home run in the top of the first, while UCLA's LaRosa recorded a two-run shot and right fielder B.B. Bates hit one out as well. The Bruins led 3-1 after the first.
UCLA tacked on two more runs in bottom of the third as designated player Samantha Camuso hit a two-run single through the right side with the bases loaded.
Stanford turned around and scored three runs in the top of the fourth. Hansen led off with another solo home run to right field. After right fielder Maya Burns drew a walk, Rich ripped a triple to deep right field, scoring Burns from first. Rich then scored on a single to right by Roulund.
The Bruins answered with three of their own in the bottom of the fourth. Left fielder Andrea Harrison hit a three-run homer over the centerfield wall.
UCLA finished off the contest, scoring four runs in the bottom of the fifth to put the run-rule into effect.
The Cardinal and Bruins will wrap-up the series on Wednesday, Apr. 11. First pitch is slated for Noon at Easton Stadium.