UCLA takes down AZ

[NumeroUno]

What is going on with Arizona.

Friday night they showed up at UCLA and lost 10-4

Saturday UCLA beat on them again with a 7-2 UCLA victory.

UCLA is not that strong this year and AZ seems to be on a down hill spiral

[Trophy Hunter]

UCLA is a very strong hitting team, except vs Cal and ASU.

Arizona can't find the strike zone this weekend, a lot of walks allowed in both games. And they don't look very good at the plate, or fielding.

Don't be surprised if the Bruins pull off the sweep. It would probably lock up a hosting position for regionals, which would be awesome.

[NumeroUno]

I agree on the sweep

[Trophy Hunter]

Add that J Hall looks very sharp in the circle this weekend compared to earlier in the season, like she stepped up her game for this series. Really attacking the Arizona line up, and pitching with a ton of confidence.

They started Carda today but had her on a short leash, Hall pitched most of the game.

They may try Carda again tomorrow, but with a sweep this close, any sign of trouble will probably get Hall back out there.

[NumeroUno]

I saw ucla earlier in the year in palm springs and they didn't look very good

they do have some good hitters on that team

[oldNlazy]

It has been reported that Arizona lacks spirit and leadership. From UCLA's 7-2 victory tonight I'd say that's about right. No spark on the field and no spark in the stands. UCLA fans were constantly on the ump for his inconsistent strike zone while Arizona fans didn't seem to care, just going with the flow. Ally Carda again got a quick hook but JHall pitched a solid 5 innings of relief, giving up only a meaningless run in the 7th. Seven walks sank the Cats last night and they exceeded that with 9 tonight. The Bruins twice left the bases loaded (10 LOB overall) but it didn't hurt them. The Cats again chipped in with a couple of errors and the Bruins again used a big 6th inning to put it away. LaRosa had a rare hitless game though she did walk twice but she was picked up by Harrision and Bates with 3 hits apiece. Camuso and Tiumalu both had 2 RBIs the latter on 2 bases-loaded walks. For Arizona 5 of the 6 hits came from the 1st 4 in the order.
Arizona 0 1 0 0 0 0 1=2-6-2
UCLA 0 0 2 0 1 4 x=7-8-2
Babcock vs Carda
Del Ponte drew an IP-assisted BB with 2 outs in the 1st, went to 2nd on a passed ball but got caught between 2nd and 3rd when the ball didn't get far enough away from Tiumalu. Harrison and Bates singled with 2 outs in the Bruin 1st but Yudin hit into a force. Arizona got on the board in the 2nd. Pendley lead off with a single just by Yudin's glove. After a sacrifice, Spigner was hit by a pitch and Snow turned Goodacre's bid for a hit into a ground out. Arriola then collected an RBI-single that went off Carda's glove. They caught Spigner rounding 3rd too far but let her get back. In the UCLA 2nd, Camuso hit one off the LF wall but just foul before popping out. Fox did hit a 2-out double but nothing came of it.
Hall came in to pitch the 3rd and immediately found herself up to her hips in Wildcats. Wilson singled to center and Buchanan beat out a bunt but Hall struck out Del Ponte, Pendley and Koria to escape. UCLA took the lead for good in the 3rd. LaRosa walked with 1 out and Harrison took 3 straight balls. She also took the next pitch which most Bruin fans reckoned was Ball 4 but didn't get the call and ended up grounding out. Bates singled to LF and it looked like LaRosa would score but she was held at 3rd. Yudin walked to load the bases and Camuso and Tiumalu used BBs to produce runs. Fox worked an 0-2 count to 3-2 but looked at strike 3 leaving the bases loaded. In the 4th Goodacre got a gift single when La Rosa misplayed her ball on the line but nothing came of it and the call was later changed to an error. The Bruins went out in order in the 4th for the only time all night.

Buchanan drew a 5th inning walk, again with an IP assist. DelPonte grounded to Fox but Snow dropped the throw. She made up for it on the next play as they turned a 4-6-3 double play. Harrison led off the 5th with a double over the LF's head. Bates walked and they both moved up on Yudin's bunt. Camuso then got the run in with a sac fly to center. The Bruins had a chance to make it a run rule victory in the 6th but fell a little short. Fox walked and was bunted to 2nd. Schroeder beat out a bunt and the run scored when Babcock's throw went awry. LaRosa walked, Harrison singled to RF and the run scored when Levine mishandled the ball. Bates then singled to LF for a run and Camuso walked to load the bases. Tiumalu walked to force in a run. With the mercy run at 2nd, Babcock got Fox to ground out. All that meant was Arizona would get to put a 2nd run on the board. Wilson walked and went to 2nd on a 2-out passed ball. Del Ponte cashed that in with a bloop to right and Pendly got a squib single that went about 25 feet but Hall got Koria to end the game.

[oldNlazy]

On a day that UCLA said good-bye to their seniors they may have also said good-bye to their chances of hosting a regional. If the committee gets a look at this game the Bruins will be lucky to host a tea party in Barstow. The brooms were out, the game was certainly winable but the Bruins blew leads of 3 and 2 runs and fell a little short in their comeback attempt. The pitching was atrocious, the defense less than stellar and the offense, at least when it came to getting a clutch hit, was mostly missing in action. The major exception was Sammy Camuso who drove in all 6 runs. As has happened so often the 7-8-9 hitters went 0-9. After giving up 16 walks in the 1st 2 games the Cats cut their total to 4 today. I don't know if that was because of better control or having Edward "Wide Zone" Cooper behind the plate. Carda seemed more bothered by the IP calls than Arizona bats but her defense let her down and after giving up the tying HR to Del Ponte, the writing was on the wall. When Hall comes in in relief she is sometimes quite good but today wasn't one of those times as she gave up 4 runs in her 1st 2 innings to take the loss.
Arizona 0 1 2 1 3 0 0=7-9-0
UCLA 3 0 2 0 0 0 1=6-9-2
Carda vs Spigner
Despite 2 illegal pitch calls Carda retired the side in order in the 1st. I guess Candrea figured Spigner couldn't do any worse than Fowler and Babcock but the Bruins quickly disabused him of that notion. LaRosa singled to right and Harrison ripped a single off the 1st baseman's glove. LaRosa tried to score on a pitch to the backstop and was out at the plate, one of many Bruins being nailed at home lately. Bates walked and Camuso hit it over the LF fence so the lost run went somewhat unnoticed. Pendley led off the 2nd with a single and advanced on a wild pitch. Carda was popping everybody up but when Snow dropped what should have been the 3rd out the run scored. Inning 2: exit Spigner enter Babcock who retired the side in order. With 1 out in the 3rd Wilson got a hit off Yudin's glove and 1 out later Del Ponte hit it over the '5' banner in CF.
Everyone knew Hall was coming in and the Bruins got the lead back for her. With 2 outs Bates walked and Camuso also hit it over the '5' banner. Hall was very lucky to only give up 1 run in the 4th. LaRosa let one go through the wickets but when Hall's threw one off the screen Tiumalu got the perfect bounce and threw the runner out at 2nd. Then came what could have been the bonehead play of the year. Goodacre hit it off the top of the RF fence and went into her HR trot. Only thing was the ball hadn't gone out and she was thrown out trying to retreat to 1st. But Hall couldn't stand the prosperity and let Arriola, a .225 hitter, blast one over the CF fence.
Whatever luck Hall had in the 4th didn't carry over to the 5th. It's never a good idea to walk the leadoff hitter but Hall compounded it by walking the next batter too. Del Ponte then hit a slow roller that LaRosa dived for but it went off her glove to load the bases. Pendley singled up the middle for 2 RBIs, Koria hit a sac fly and the Cats were in front for good. Fowler came in to pitch the 5th and immediately found herself in trouble. She hit Schroeder and walked LaRosa. Harrison dropped a perfect surprise bunt and the bases were loaded with 0 outs but Bates struck out and Camuso hit into a 1-2-3 double play. (Hindsight is 20-20 but maybe the Bruins would have been better served had Harrison swung away.) Hall now got her stride and retired the last 6 batters she faced but the Bruins were still down 2. Schroeder led off the 7th with a 4-pitch walk. LaRosa took 5 pitches, all looking to be outside the strike zone but all it got her was a 3-2 count and she then struck out. Bates kept hopes alive with a 2-out single to CF and Camuso came through with an RBI-single but with the tying and winning runs on base Yudin struck out to leave the Bruins a run shy.

They say you only go as far as your pitching takes you. In that case I see the Bruins maybe making it to Sherman Oaks.

[Wooahhhh]

thanks old. missed the game and I appreciate the write-up.

[Informal]

I saw ucla earlier in the year in palm springs and they didn't look very good

they do have some good hitters on that team

Guess I wasn't the only one who was underwhelmed by them in the desert.

[NumeroUno]

how did UCLA do in the first reginal game