Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
UCLA (Palm Springs Tournament)
Northwestern Beaten by Top-Ranked UCLA 5-1
2/21/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 21, 2004
PALM SPRINGS, Calif. - While it may be one of sports most overused clich?s, the belief that in order for a team to be the best, it must play the best, is one to which the Northwestern softball program subscribes. However, "the best" came out on top as the Wildcats fell to top-ranked UCLA 5-1 at the Palm Springs Classic.
Of Northwestern's first four opponents, three were ranked in the top 20. That start alone is enough to make most teams' collective knees quiver. However, after sweeping No. 20 Arizona State two weeks prior, and splitting against No. 7 Alabama and No. 8 Stanford on day one of the Palm Springs Classic, a date with top-ranked UCLA seemed only natural.
UCLA flexed its defending national-championship muscle early in the ball game. After leadoff hitter Caitlin Benyi grounded out to second, Andrea Duran hit a towering home run over the fence in left field to give the Bruins a 1-0 lead.
Northwestern put runners aboard in the first two innings, but Bruin pitcher Keira Goerl quickly shut the door in both. UCLA looked to add to the 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second, putting runners on first and third with only one out. Foster steadied, however, striking out Whitney Holum for the second out and getting Ashley Herrera to fly out harmlessly to center to end the inning.
After Northwestern went down in order in the top of the third, UCLA extended its lead to 2-0 on a home run. Two batters later, clean-up hitter Claire Sua hit a two-run home run over the left field fence to push the UCLA lead to 4-0.
With two outs in the top of the fourth, Goerl had only allowed two batters to reach base, but NU would soon occupy the empty sacks. A double freshman Garland by Cooper in the top of the fourth would have scored Eryn Manahan, but the ball bounced over the temporary fence halting the play and keeping Manahan at third base.
Kristen Amegin walked and Jamie Dotson came to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs. Dotson hit a hard ground ball up the middle and shortstop Emily Legaspi could not handle it. Manahan scored to cut the lead to 4-1, but Cooper was thrown out at home to end the inning. UCLA added its fourth home run in the bottom of the sixth when a fly ball by Herrera snuck over the fence in left center to give the Bruins a 5-1 lead.
Goerl retired Cooper, Amegin and Dotson in Northwestern's last at-bats. The Wildcats face Boston College in the second game of a split double header at 9 p.m. CST.
