UCLA
Arizona
Softball Shuts Out No. 3 Arizona 6-0
May 06, 2005 | Softball
May 6, 2005
TUCSON, Ariz. - It was a solid night at the plate for the 12th-ranked Bruins Friday, as UCLA (26-15, 7-9 PAC-10) notched five hits to pick up a 6-0 win over No. 2 Arizona (34-9. 8-7 PAC-10) at Hillenbrand Stadium.
The win clinched the season-sweep for the Bruins, who defeated Arizona 9-1 and 5-4 earlier in the season in Los Angeles. It marked the first three-game win streak against the Wildcats since 1995.
Lisa Dodd (8-5) picked up her eighth win of the year as she pitched a complete-game shutout as she struck out three and walked two. Dodd allowed only eight hits on the night. The win marked her fourth complete-game shutout of the season.
Leslie Wolfe (3-1) suffered her first loss of the season in only her fifth start as she gave up six runs on the night. Wolfe struck out three and walked one in the outing.
Caitlin Benyi led the Bruins at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a solo home run and scoring three runs on the night.
Benyi led off the fourth with a double to give the Bruins a runner in scoring position for the first time in the game. Emily Zaplatosch then singled down the left field line to plate Benyi for the first run of the inning. It was the 11th pitch of the at bat as the junior catcher fought off Arizona's Wolfe until getting the pitch she wanted to drive down the line. Zaplatosch advanced to second on the throw home from left field. She was then replaced by Alissa Eno who came in to pinch run at second.
Jodie Legaspi laid down a sac bunt to advance Enoto third from second and the Bruins added a second run on a bloop single to shallow right field from Crystal Dedmon to plate Eno and give UCLA the 2-0 lead.
The sixth inning saw Benyi lead off with a single before scoring from first on a double to left center from Zaplatosch. A single to left field from Legaspie advanced Zaplatosch to third and put runners at the corners with no outs for the Bruins. Dedmon gound out to second in the next at bat, but advanced Legaspi to second. The Bruins scored again on the next at bat as Krista Colburn ground out to second to score Zaplatosch . Dodd then helped herself with a single to left field to score Legaspi from third and give UCLA the 5-0 advantage.
A home run for Benyi in the seventh inning to straight-away centerfield added to the Bruin lead, putting UCLA ahead 6-0. It marked the sixth round-tripper of the season for Benyi.
With one out in the seventh, Arizona mounted a rally, loading the bases with one out in the seventh on three straight singles from Courtney Fossatti, Allyson Von Liechtenstein and Caitlin Lowe. The Bruins got the second out of the inning with the force play at home on a grounder from Autumn Champion as the bases remained loaded with two outs. A grounder back to Dodd in the circle from Fox ended the threat and the game as UCLA picked up the 6-0 win.
UCLA will return to action at 7 p.m. on Saturday with a game against the Sun Devils of Arizona State. The Bruins won the first game of the series 4-0 in Los Angeles earlier in the year.
