No. 2 UCLA Dominates Florida, Hands Gators First Loss
No. 2 UCLA Dominates Florida, Hands Gators First Loss
Rachel Garcia’s hit parade was more than enough to push the second-ranked Bruins past No. 3 Florida in the opening game of the Judi Garman Classic.
UCLA just keeps on rolling.
Five days after fourth-ranked Oklahoma had nothing for the Bruins in a six-run loss at Mary Nutter, it was the third-ranked Florida Gators who became the latest highly-touted victim, falling 7-1 on opening night of the 2019 Judi Garman Classic in Fullerton, Calif.
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An Anderson Family Field single-game record crowd of 1,227 was on hand for what was expected to be a battle between two titans of the sport, but it was UCLA who repeatedly imposed its will.
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The Bruins wasted little time in jumping on the Gators, plating a run in the bottom of the first inning courtesy of Aaliyah Jordan, who delivered a one-out RBI double to the centerfield warning track to deposit Briana Perez.
The hit that put the Bruins on the board!
— FloSoftball (@FloSoftball) February 28, 2019
Aaliyah Jordan getting it done.@UCLASoftball pic.twitter.com/uIa2kiXbON
One inning later, it was Perez adding to the tally with an RBI single through the right side on an 0-2 pitch. Following a strange sequence of events that saw Florida’s Kelly Barnhill tag a runner out at the plate at the conclusion of a wild pitch—only for the pitch to be ruled illegal, giving UCLA new life—Jordan was intentionally walked to load the bases for Garcia.
That proved costly.
Garcia smoked a two-RBI single through the ride side, scoring both Perez and Godin to push the Bruins advantage to 4-0 after two.
Meanwhile, UCLA starter Holly Azevedo was dealing during the top half of each inning, escaping jams in the first and the fourth, and striking out eight Florida batters along the way. Azevedo would leave to a standing ovation, exiting after allowing just one run in five-plus innings of work.
The Bruins ultimately broke things wide open in the bottom half of the fourth inning after Perez led off the inning with UCLA’s second triple of the night. Bubba Nickles followed with a walk and, two batters later, it was Garcia who struck again, crushing a three-run shot over the left field wall.
Garcia’s final blow gave her a season-best five RBI—and gave the Bruins an insurmountable seven-run advantage.
The victory runs UCLA’s record to 15-0 on the season. Florida’s loss was its first, as the Gators drop to 18-1.
Faraimo Doesn’t Start—But She Slams The Door
Freshman phenom Megan Faraimo—the No. 1 prospect from the class of 2018—was not the pitcher in the circle to begin the night for UCLA, as head coach Kelly Inouye-Perez opted, instead, to give sophomore Holly Azevedo the start.
That it was Azevedo rather than Faraimo or Rachel Garcia was a bit surprising given the magnitude of the matchup.
So. Dirty.
— FloSoftball (@FloSoftball) February 28, 2019
Holly Azevedo is out huntin’ gators.@UCLASoftball pic.twitter.com/BWr0Z7qarQ
But, not only did Azevedo demonstrate the embarrassment of riches that the Bruins enjoy at the position, Faraimo eventually did find her way into the circle after Azevedo was chased in the sixth inning.
All she did was deliver back-to-back strikeouts and a groundout to get UCLA out of the jam in the sixth. And, for an encore, Faraimo fanned three more hitters in the seventh, leaving her with five strikeouts over the final two innings of the night.
Garcia Enjoys Monster Night
Playing first base and batting clean-up, the Bruins ace pitcher was, instead, an absolute problem in the batter’s box on Wednesday night.
Garcia finished the night 4-4 with five RBI and her third home run of the season. A sixth-inning triple left her just a double shy of the cycle.
Both teams will be back in action on Thursday as part of a loaded Judi Garman tournament field. Watch all of the action LIVE on FloSoftball.