Friday, March 17
Los Angeles, CA
5:00 PM
UCLA
vs
Washington
Savannah Pola (photo: Ross Turteltaub)
Photo by: Ross Turteltaub
No. 3 Bruins Host Top-10 Showdown Versus Washington
March 16, 2023 | Softball
LOS ANGELES – The No. 3 UCLA softball team goes for its second series win to begin Pac-12 play this weekend, hosting No. 10 Washington for a three-game set broadcasted on the Pac-12 Network.
The Huskies are the fifth top-10 foe the Bruins (25-2, 2-1 Pac-12) will face this season. UCLA was selected to finish first in the Pac-12 Coaches Preseason Poll with eight first-place votes earlier this year in February. Washington was the only other school to receive a first-place vote.
Last Time Out
UCLA opened Pac-12 play by taking two out of three in its series at California last weekend. The Bruins fell in mercy-rule fashion in game two for just their second loss of the season.
Game 1 (W, 4-0): Freshmen Megan Grant and Jordan Woolery knocked in all four of UCLA's runs. Grant, in front of her Bay Area friends and family, went 3-for-4 with a double and plated each of the Bruins' first three runs of the games.
Game 2 (L, 8-0): The Golden Bears' offense teed off for three home runs against the Bruins as UCLA's offense was held to just four hits. California won the game in five innings on a mercy-rule, walk-off home run by Kacey Zobac.
Game 3 (W, 10-1): Maya Brady went 2-for-4 with a homer and four RBI. UCLA responded after being shutout the previous game with 14 hits in the series rubber match. Once again, it was the freshman Megan Grant who sparked the Bruins' offense with a two-run homer to put UCLA on the board in the first inning.
No Place Like Easton
The Bruins went 23-1 at home last season with their one loss coming to Utah in the series finale on May 1, 2022. UCLA has swept its conference opponent in each of the last five home-opening series to begin Pac-12 play dating back to 2018 (did not play a Pac-12 series in 2020 due to the COVID-19 Pandemic). Since 2018, UCLA is 47-8 in home conference contests.
A Note On Pac-12 Play Last Season
UCLA opened with a 10-0 record in Pac-12 competition in 2022 for its best start to conference play in program history. In that stretch, the Bruins toppled No. 9 Arizona, No. 9 Washington and No. 12 Oregon each three times. UCLA's 25-game winning streak last season, which was tied for the longest of head coach Kelly Inouye-Perez's tenure, was snapped in game two at Stanford on April 9.
Conference Weekly Awards
UCLA hauled in two more Pac-12 weekly awards on Monday. Left-handed pitcher Brooke Yanez was named the Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week and utility Megan Grant earned Pac-12 Freshman of the Week honors. UCLA is now up to five weekly Pac-12 honors on the season with each being awarded to different members of the team.
Yanez: Yanez, who has now earned Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week four times in her career, led the Bruins in the circle in both of their wins at California last weekend. Yanez is now tied for fourth in the Pac-12 with nine victories on the season. In game one, Yanez allowed just one baserunner and struck out five in her five shutout innings. She earned the start for the series rubber match two days later and delivered with a complete-game victory. After walking four batters in the first inning, Yanez settled in for five consecutive scoreless frames. She finished the game with seven total punchouts.
Grant: Grant is tied for the team lead and paces all freshmen in the country in the statistical category. Grant led the Bruin offense in a 3-for-4 performance in game one, scoring each of UCLA's first three runs of the game on a single and two-RBI double. Grant once again sparked UCLA's offense in game three with a two-run home run in the first inning to score the Bruins' first runs of the game. Grant ranks second on the team with 12 extra-base hits, trailing only Maya Brady (17). Through 27 games, Grant is hitting for a .312 batting average and .584 slugging percentage.
Brady: Player of the Year Candidate
Maya Brady leads the team and Pac-12 and is tied for sixth in the country with 36 hits entering week five (.481 batting average). Brady is also tops on the team in home runs (8), runs scored (32), slugging percentage (.924) and stolen bases (5). She is tied with Megan Grant for the team lead ranks second in the conference with 32 runs batted in. Brady has two multi-homer games this season (San Diego - Feb. 12; Fresno State - March 3), stretching her career total to four.
Dual Threat
Maya Brady leads UCLA in both slugging and stolen bases. The last time a Bruin led the team in both slugging percentage and stolen bases in a single season was Katie Schroeder in 2009 (.684 SLG / 19 SB).
Brady Shatters 24-Year-Old Record
Maya Brady broke a 24-year-old record during UCLA's season-opening Stacy Winsberg Memorial Tournament. The Thousand Oaks native recorded 11 consecutive base hits across four games, breaking the mark of 10 consecutive hits formerly held by UCLA legends Lisa Fernandez (March 1993) and Stacey Nuveman (Feb. 1999). In total, Brady opened the first week of 2023 going 13-for-16 with 13 RBI and four home runs to earn her Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I NFCA Player of the Week honors for the first time in her career. She is the 17th Bruin to receive the award.
Chef Megan Cookin'
Megan Grant leads all freshmen in the country with 32 runs batted in this season after knocking in six runs across UCLA's four games last week. She leads UCLA with 10 multi-RBI games this season. The prized 2022 recruit has hit third our fourth in the UCLA batting lineup in 26 of 27 games this season.
Freshman Slugging Duo
Freshmen Megan Grant and Jordan Woolery have been anchors in the heart of the Bruins' lineup this season. The duo has combined for a .340 batting average and rank t-1st and third on the team in runs batted. Entering week five, Woolery's eight doubles are tied for first in the Pac-12.
Another Notable Frosh: Freshman Kennedy Powell has started 23 of UCLA's last 24 games. Twenty-two of those starts have been in left field. Powell ranks third on the team with a .397 average and .414 on-base percentage. Powell is hitting .464 in her last 12 games
Back to Her Roots
Maya Brady has alternated between center field and shortstop this season. Brady is now the Bruins' everyday shortstip due to a left shoulder injury sustained by utility Seneca Curo. Brady grew up playing the position with her travel ball team OC Batbusters Stith.
Consistency Behind the Dish
Sharlize Palacios has been an x-factor as UCLA's primary starting catcher. So far this season, the Arizona transfer has thrown out five of seven runners attempting to steal. Palacios has also provided power to the Bruins' lineup, ranking second on the team with five home runs behind only Brady. Last weekend at the Judi Garman Classic, Palacios hit the fifth grand slam of her career in a 3-for-4 day, including a double, against Michigan on March 4. Palacios has recorded a base hit in six of UCLA's last nine games and has nine RBI in that stretch, including a grand slam versus Cal Poly which was the fifth of her career.
Pola Setting the Table
Sophomore Savannah Pola has hit leadoff in all but two of UCLA's 27 games this season. An All-Pac-12 Freshman selection last season, Pola ranks second on the squad with a .423 batting average and seven doubles in 2023. When batting leadoff, Pola has reached base on 14 of 25 chances (.520 on-base percentage; reached via error once).
Big Bad Brookie
The left-handed transfer pitcher from Oregon has dominated in her last ride as a Bruin. Yanez is a flawless 9-0 and ranks second in the Pac-12 with a .145 opposing batting average and third with 0.99 earned run average. Yanez has gone 5.0+ innings in eight consecutive starts.
Faraimo Inferno
Megan Faraimo's 11 wins are tied for sixth in the nation entering week five. Faraimo has been utilized in a reliever role frequently this season. Four of her 11 winning decisions have come in relief. Faraimo has thrown two no-hitters this season, improving her career total to seven solo no-hitters. Most recently, Faraimo no-hit No. 3 Florida on Feb. 23, marking the first time a Bruin pitcher no-hit a top-3 opponent since March 28, 2003, when Keira Goerl kept No. 2 Stanford out of the hit column. It was Faraimo's first no-no against a ranked opponent.
Where the Bruins Stack Up Nationally
• In the circle, Megan Faraimo is tied for sixth with 11 wins and is sixth with 111 strikeouts
• Megan Grant leads all freshmen in the nation with 32 RBI.
• Maya Brady ranks fifth in the nation in total bases (78), t-6th in hits (38) and is t-8th in RBI (32).
• As as team, UCLA ranks fourth in the nation with 239 hits.
Climbing UCLA's All-Time Rankings
• With her four stolen bases at the Judi Garman Classic, Kelli Godin moved into third place on UCLA's all-time stolen bases list with 65 on 73 attempts. She passed Allexis Bennett (2013-16) who had 61 stolen bases. Godin needs eight more to tie her former teammate Briana Perez for second on the list (73).
• Megan Faraimo's 11 wins to begin 2023 pushed her career record to 83-14. She is currently ninth on UCLA's career wins list. Faraimo passed Ally Carda (2012-15) and former teammate Rachel Garcia (2017-21) on the Bruins' career strikeouts list earlier this season. Faraimo has now struck out 879 batters and is 73 shy of tying Debbie Doom (1982-85) for third all-time with 952.
The Huskies are the fifth top-10 foe the Bruins (25-2, 2-1 Pac-12) will face this season. UCLA was selected to finish first in the Pac-12 Coaches Preseason Poll with eight first-place votes earlier this year in February. Washington was the only other school to receive a first-place vote.
Last Time Out
UCLA opened Pac-12 play by taking two out of three in its series at California last weekend. The Bruins fell in mercy-rule fashion in game two for just their second loss of the season.
Game 1 (W, 4-0): Freshmen Megan Grant and Jordan Woolery knocked in all four of UCLA's runs. Grant, in front of her Bay Area friends and family, went 3-for-4 with a double and plated each of the Bruins' first three runs of the games.
Game 2 (L, 8-0): The Golden Bears' offense teed off for three home runs against the Bruins as UCLA's offense was held to just four hits. California won the game in five innings on a mercy-rule, walk-off home run by Kacey Zobac.
Game 3 (W, 10-1): Maya Brady went 2-for-4 with a homer and four RBI. UCLA responded after being shutout the previous game with 14 hits in the series rubber match. Once again, it was the freshman Megan Grant who sparked the Bruins' offense with a two-run homer to put UCLA on the board in the first inning.
No Place Like Easton
The Bruins went 23-1 at home last season with their one loss coming to Utah in the series finale on May 1, 2022. UCLA has swept its conference opponent in each of the last five home-opening series to begin Pac-12 play dating back to 2018 (did not play a Pac-12 series in 2020 due to the COVID-19 Pandemic). Since 2018, UCLA is 47-8 in home conference contests.
A Note On Pac-12 Play Last Season
UCLA opened with a 10-0 record in Pac-12 competition in 2022 for its best start to conference play in program history. In that stretch, the Bruins toppled No. 9 Arizona, No. 9 Washington and No. 12 Oregon each three times. UCLA's 25-game winning streak last season, which was tied for the longest of head coach Kelly Inouye-Perez's tenure, was snapped in game two at Stanford on April 9.
Conference Weekly Awards
UCLA hauled in two more Pac-12 weekly awards on Monday. Left-handed pitcher Brooke Yanez was named the Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week and utility Megan Grant earned Pac-12 Freshman of the Week honors. UCLA is now up to five weekly Pac-12 honors on the season with each being awarded to different members of the team.
Yanez: Yanez, who has now earned Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week four times in her career, led the Bruins in the circle in both of their wins at California last weekend. Yanez is now tied for fourth in the Pac-12 with nine victories on the season. In game one, Yanez allowed just one baserunner and struck out five in her five shutout innings. She earned the start for the series rubber match two days later and delivered with a complete-game victory. After walking four batters in the first inning, Yanez settled in for five consecutive scoreless frames. She finished the game with seven total punchouts.
Grant: Grant is tied for the team lead and paces all freshmen in the country in the statistical category. Grant led the Bruin offense in a 3-for-4 performance in game one, scoring each of UCLA's first three runs of the game on a single and two-RBI double. Grant once again sparked UCLA's offense in game three with a two-run home run in the first inning to score the Bruins' first runs of the game. Grant ranks second on the team with 12 extra-base hits, trailing only Maya Brady (17). Through 27 games, Grant is hitting for a .312 batting average and .584 slugging percentage.
Brady: Player of the Year Candidate
Maya Brady leads the team and Pac-12 and is tied for sixth in the country with 36 hits entering week five (.481 batting average). Brady is also tops on the team in home runs (8), runs scored (32), slugging percentage (.924) and stolen bases (5). She is tied with Megan Grant for the team lead ranks second in the conference with 32 runs batted in. Brady has two multi-homer games this season (San Diego - Feb. 12; Fresno State - March 3), stretching her career total to four.
Dual Threat
Maya Brady leads UCLA in both slugging and stolen bases. The last time a Bruin led the team in both slugging percentage and stolen bases in a single season was Katie Schroeder in 2009 (.684 SLG / 19 SB).
Brady Shatters 24-Year-Old Record
Maya Brady broke a 24-year-old record during UCLA's season-opening Stacy Winsberg Memorial Tournament. The Thousand Oaks native recorded 11 consecutive base hits across four games, breaking the mark of 10 consecutive hits formerly held by UCLA legends Lisa Fernandez (March 1993) and Stacey Nuveman (Feb. 1999). In total, Brady opened the first week of 2023 going 13-for-16 with 13 RBI and four home runs to earn her Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I NFCA Player of the Week honors for the first time in her career. She is the 17th Bruin to receive the award.
Chef Megan Cookin'
Megan Grant leads all freshmen in the country with 32 runs batted in this season after knocking in six runs across UCLA's four games last week. She leads UCLA with 10 multi-RBI games this season. The prized 2022 recruit has hit third our fourth in the UCLA batting lineup in 26 of 27 games this season.
Freshman Slugging Duo
Freshmen Megan Grant and Jordan Woolery have been anchors in the heart of the Bruins' lineup this season. The duo has combined for a .340 batting average and rank t-1st and third on the team in runs batted. Entering week five, Woolery's eight doubles are tied for first in the Pac-12.
Another Notable Frosh: Freshman Kennedy Powell has started 23 of UCLA's last 24 games. Twenty-two of those starts have been in left field. Powell ranks third on the team with a .397 average and .414 on-base percentage. Powell is hitting .464 in her last 12 games
Back to Her Roots
Maya Brady has alternated between center field and shortstop this season. Brady is now the Bruins' everyday shortstip due to a left shoulder injury sustained by utility Seneca Curo. Brady grew up playing the position with her travel ball team OC Batbusters Stith.
Consistency Behind the Dish
Sharlize Palacios has been an x-factor as UCLA's primary starting catcher. So far this season, the Arizona transfer has thrown out five of seven runners attempting to steal. Palacios has also provided power to the Bruins' lineup, ranking second on the team with five home runs behind only Brady. Last weekend at the Judi Garman Classic, Palacios hit the fifth grand slam of her career in a 3-for-4 day, including a double, against Michigan on March 4. Palacios has recorded a base hit in six of UCLA's last nine games and has nine RBI in that stretch, including a grand slam versus Cal Poly which was the fifth of her career.
Pola Setting the Table
Sophomore Savannah Pola has hit leadoff in all but two of UCLA's 27 games this season. An All-Pac-12 Freshman selection last season, Pola ranks second on the squad with a .423 batting average and seven doubles in 2023. When batting leadoff, Pola has reached base on 14 of 25 chances (.520 on-base percentage; reached via error once).
Big Bad Brookie
The left-handed transfer pitcher from Oregon has dominated in her last ride as a Bruin. Yanez is a flawless 9-0 and ranks second in the Pac-12 with a .145 opposing batting average and third with 0.99 earned run average. Yanez has gone 5.0+ innings in eight consecutive starts.
Faraimo Inferno
Megan Faraimo's 11 wins are tied for sixth in the nation entering week five. Faraimo has been utilized in a reliever role frequently this season. Four of her 11 winning decisions have come in relief. Faraimo has thrown two no-hitters this season, improving her career total to seven solo no-hitters. Most recently, Faraimo no-hit No. 3 Florida on Feb. 23, marking the first time a Bruin pitcher no-hit a top-3 opponent since March 28, 2003, when Keira Goerl kept No. 2 Stanford out of the hit column. It was Faraimo's first no-no against a ranked opponent.
Where the Bruins Stack Up Nationally
• In the circle, Megan Faraimo is tied for sixth with 11 wins and is sixth with 111 strikeouts
• Megan Grant leads all freshmen in the nation with 32 RBI.
• Maya Brady ranks fifth in the nation in total bases (78), t-6th in hits (38) and is t-8th in RBI (32).
• As as team, UCLA ranks fourth in the nation with 239 hits.
Climbing UCLA's All-Time Rankings
• With her four stolen bases at the Judi Garman Classic, Kelli Godin moved into third place on UCLA's all-time stolen bases list with 65 on 73 attempts. She passed Allexis Bennett (2013-16) who had 61 stolen bases. Godin needs eight more to tie her former teammate Briana Perez for second on the list (73).
• Megan Faraimo's 11 wins to begin 2023 pushed her career record to 83-14. She is currently ninth on UCLA's career wins list. Faraimo passed Ally Carda (2012-15) and former teammate Rachel Garcia (2017-21) on the Bruins' career strikeouts list earlier this season. Faraimo has now struck out 879 batters and is 73 shy of tying Debbie Doom (1982-85) for third all-time with 952.
Players Mentioned
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