LONG BEACH, Calif. – Playing its 12th game in nine days, the Boston University softball team wrapped up the trip to California with a 10-2 loss to No. 3 UCLA on Saturday afternoon at the Louisville Slugger Invitational.
The Bruins (22-0) entered the contest batting an NCAA-high .406 and jumped out early with a combined eight runs in the first two innings to avoid former No. 1 Oklahoma's fate against the Terriers (8-12). They then took advantage of three wild pitches in the sixth to claim their 12th run-rule victory of the season, as senior
Emma Wong led BU with two singles and two runs scored.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- After junior Madi Killebrew was stranded at first following a two-out single, UCLA scored four runs in the bottom half of the first on four hits and a throwing error against freshman Ali Dubois (4-3).
- BU loaded the bases in the second on singles by Wong and junior Emily Morrow and an infielder grounder by senior Kaitlin Sahlinger.
- Wong scored on a wild pitch, but UCLA's Holly Azevedo (7-0) prevented further damage by getting a ground out and fly out.
- The Bruins followed up in the bottom half with four runs off four hits, including a two-RBI double by Brianna Tautalafua and two-RBI single by Rachel Garcia, against sophomore Lizzie Annerino.
- Sophomore Kali Magane got a pop up and strike out to keep two Bruins on base for an 8-1 deficit.
- BU added a second run in the fourth on Wong's single and Morrow's RBI single down the third-base line.
- The Terriers an inning later loaded the bases in the fifth with two outs on a pair of walks and infield single by senior Jilee Schanda, but the Bruins got a force out on a grounder to end the threat.
- Held to three hits in innings 3-5 by Magane, the Bruins put the game away in the sixth with two runs off two hits.
GAME NOTES
- After shutting out both Michigan State (10-0) and defending Mountain West champion San Jose State (10-0) on Friday, the Bruins became the first opponent to not only run-rule the Terriers this season but also to score more than six runs in a game after claiming a 13-6 advantage in hits.
- A member of the 2017 USA Softball Junior Women's National Team, Azevedo allowed two earned runs in a game for just the second time this season in 10 appearances for UCLA ... She entered the contest with a 0.90 ERA while allowing a combined five hits in the previous 9.2 innings of work.
- Magane used three strikeouts to help hold the Bruins to two runs off five hits in the final 4.1 innings.
NEXT UP: ST. JOHN'S INVITATIONAL
- The Terriers will compete in the northeast for the first time this season by participating in the St. John's Invitational on Saturday, March 17 and Sunday, March 18.
- BU will play UMass and the host Red Storm on March 17 before battling Binghamton and Hofstra on March 18.