Long Beach State University
8-14
UCLA
22-1
Wren, White Help Push No. 2 UCLA To Extras In 8-Inning Loss To The Bruins
3/10/2019 6:10:00 PM | Softball
Long Beach State lost 5-3 in the eighth to No. 2 UCLA.
Long Beach State (8-14) took the lead in the first inning and pushed No. 2 UCLA (22-1) to extra innings for the first time in 2019. Nichole Fry had a pair of hits, the first coming in the bottom of the first, and following an error to put two on, Wren came through with another clutch home run, this time a three-run shot to right field to put LBSU on top 3-0.
Jamie Wren!! Three-run BOMB from the senior and Long Beach State leads it 3-0! #GoBeach pic.twitter.com/6wkSbqsctQ
— LBSU Softball (@LBSUSoftball) March 10, 2019
UCLA got on the board in the second inning on a solo home run from Taylor Pack, but that was one of the few hard-hit balls against Kellie White, who was excellent against a Bruin lineup that will likely be ranked No. 1 in the country come Monday. White struck out four and allowed just four hits through seven innings.
A walk and a hit batter put two on for UCLA in the bottom of the third, and Aaliyah Jordan doubled them home to tie the score at three, but White got out of the inning with no further damage. The junior then worked three scoreless innings, allowing just two Bruin baserunners to match UCLA superstar Rachel Garcia, who came on in relief for Holly Azevedo.
In the seventh the Bruins threatened with a leadoff walk and a bunt single, but White picked up a groundball out and then a critical strikeout of Bubba Nickles with runners on second and third on the way to getting out of the inning.
What a pitch from Kellie White! Bubba Nickles is frozen and Long Beach State gets out of a jam in the seventh! LBSU coming up with a chance to win it against No. 2 UCLA! #GoBeach pic.twitter.com/SG2b8WefOf
— LBSU Softball (@LBSUSoftball) March 10, 2019
The Beach was unable to solve the riddle of Garcia in the circle, who finished with seven strikeouts, and a double down the line from pinch hitter Malia Quarles put the Bruins on top for good in the eighth.
Long Beach State will finish tournament play next weekend, playing five games at the Easton Invitational hosted by Cal State Fullerton. The Beach will start by playing two games on Friday, March 15.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Garcia, Rachel (10-0)
L: White, Kellie (2-6)
Batting:
2B: Jordan, Aaliyah 1 ; Quarles, Malia 1
HR: Pack, Taylor 1
RBI: Jordan, Aaliyah 2 ; Pack, Taylor 1 ; Quarles, Malia 2
SH: Perez, Briana 1 ; Shaw, Zoe 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Nickles, Bubba 1 ; Jordan, Aaliyah 1 ; Pack, Taylor 1 ; Godin, Kelli 1 ; Vines, Anna 1
SB: Perez, Briana 1
HBP: Nickles, Bubba 1
Batting:
2B: McCollum, Sydney 1
HR: Wren, Jamie 1
RBI: Wren, Jamie 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Hernandez, Naomi 1 ; Hutton, Kasey 1 ; Wren, Jamie 1
