The No. 5 UCLA Bruins were able to accomplish what no other team has this season as they swept the No. 18 Oregon women’s softball team in dominant fashion this weekend in Los Angeles.
It was the first three-game sweep of the year for the Ducks (31-13, 7-8 Pac-10), who will turn around and play Portland State in a non-conference doubleheader on Wednesday afternoon.
Sunday’s victory was the ninth win in a row for the Bruins (36-9, 10-5 Pac-10) and the 15th straight win over Oregon, which dates back to the 2005 season.
On Friday night, Oregon took a 4-2 lead into the bottom of the fifth inning before UCLA tacked on six runs, followed by three more in the bottom of the sixth, ultimately handing the Ducks a lopsided 11-4 loss. Oregon senior Neena Bryant drove in her sixth home run of the season in the top of the first, finishing the game 3 for 4 with two runs and an RBI. Sophomore Ashley Kivett came off the bench with two hits and one RBI.
The following day featured more of the same as three Bruins homered, leaving Oregon on the losing end of a 10-2 outing. UCLA’s Andrea Harrison led the way with two home runs and four RBI. Oregon, on the other hand, was only able to record three hits in the game, two of which were home runs by Kivett (2) and junior Brittany Rumfelt (1). Kivett finished the weekend 5 of 8 with three RBI.
Harrison didn’t miss a beat on Sunday afternoon either as she drove in two more home runs, bringing her season total to 13. The Bruins’ 10-2 victory on Sunday gave junior pitcher Donna Kerr her 17th win of the season, while Oregon freshmen Jessica Moore’s two losses on the weekend dropped her to 13-8 on the year.
[email protected]