The No. 5 UCLA softball dropped their second consecutive game with a 13-11 loss to the No. 11 Oregon Ducks at Easton Stadium in Los Angeles, Calif. on Saturday.
UCLA put up a fight throughout the seven innings, but Oregon’s batters got the better of senior right-handed pitcher Taylor Tinsley and freshman left-handed pitcher Natalie Cable. Unlike in the series opener, UCLA’s batters found much more success as they hit 13 pitches and had 11 runners cross the plate, but Oregon still did better with 16 hits and 13 runs.
Leading in the first
Oregon struck a home run to right field in the top of the first, but the Bruins responded with a furious two-run homer by senior utility player Megan Grant in the bottom of the inning to give them an early lead.
Home runs in the second
In the top of the second inning, Oregon answered Grant’s two-run homer with one of their own to put themselves back in the driver’s seat. UCLA sophomore’s outfielder Kaniya Bragg and infielder Rylee Slimp each hit two-run home runs in response to Oregon’s to regain the lead with four runs in the bottom of the second.
Game tied in the third
The Ducks tied the game up at six-runs with a three-run play off of a double hit, thanks to a throwing error by the Bruins defense.
Falling behind
The Bruins error in the third proved to be fatal as the Ducks added three more runs in the fourth to push them ahead of UCLA. In the bottom of the fifth, senior infielder Jordan Woolery hit the Bruins fourth two-run homer of the game to put them one run behind Oregon.
Losing it in the seventh
Oregon closed out the game in the top of the seventh with four-runs coming from three hits to put them ahead 13-8. The Bruins attempted to take the late-game win in the bottom of the seventh, but freshman infielder’s Bri Alejandre three-run homer was not enough. UCLA fell short by two-runs and lost their second game to the Ducks.
UCLA will attempt to prevent being swept by Oregon in their finale on Sunday with an anticipated start time of 11 a.m. PT.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: UCLA softball loses second-straight to Oregon
Reporting by Ryan Lorenz, UCLA Wire / UCLA Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
