Michigan State University
9-11
UCLA
20-0
Spartans Fall to No. 3 UCLA In Five Innings
3/9/2018 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Box Score | PDF Box: UCLA 10, MSU 0 (5) 
SPARTAN SYNOPSIS
Michigan State fell to No. 3 UCLA on Friday morning, 10-0 in five innings at the Louisville Slugger Invitational at Long Beach State.
The Bruins, No. 3 in the NFCA poll and a perfect 20-0 on the season, entered the game with a team batting average of .398 and a staff ERA of 1.38, both of which were immediately on display. The Bruins put together 12 base hits in the game, putting five runs on the board in the second and three more in the top of the fifth to put the game out of reach for the Spartans.
MSU managed just one base hit off UCLA reliever Selina Ta'amilo after starter Holly Azevedo went four innings, striking out three and walking five without allowing a base hit. MSU walked six times in the game, including a pair of free passes issued to senior Lea Foerster.
Bridgette Rainey started the game in the circle and was relieved by freshman McKenna Gregory, who went four innings and struck out two, scattering eight base hits without walking a batter. Rainey took the loss to fall to 4-5 on the year.
MIchigan State (9-11) had baserunners in every inning, stranding nine baserunners in the game. McKenzie Long broke up the no-hitter in the bottom of the fifth with a bunt single.
TOP PERFORMER
- MccKenna Gregory pitched four innings in relief, striking out two without issuing a walk.
QUOTABLE
"That is a College World Series squad we played today - they are more than solid in every aspect of the game. It was a good measuring stick for us. We competed at the plate, even though there weren't many hits on the scoreboard - we drew six walks and had baserunners in every inning that we just couldn't get around. ."
Head Coach Jacquie Joseph
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STATS AND STORYLINES
- The Bruins drew first blood in the top of the first. Briana Perez legged out an infield single, stole second, and Aallya Jordan brought her home with a single through the left side. Brianna Tautalafua hit a single to the wall in right to move runners to the corners with one out. Rachel Garcia walked to load the bases, and after Rainey got Taylor Pack to pop out to short, she hit Bubba Nickles to force in a second run. Rainey got Zoe Shaw looking to get out of the inning with the bases loaded.
- UCLA pushed across a third run early in the top of the second, and MSU went to freshman McKenna Gregory in the circle in relief. She struck out the first batter she faced, but Tautalafua singled to bring two runs across and make it a 5-0 lead for the Bruins. Nickles doubled to center to make it a five-spot on the board in the inning, and Gregory then got out of the inning with her second strikeout.
- Gregory worked a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the fourth, but the Bruins put together four base hits - including a pair of doubles - in the fifth to push the lead to 10-0.
- The Bruins made a pitching change in the fifth, going to senior Selina Ta'amilo, and the leadoff batter McKenzie Long laid down a bunt and beat the throw to first to break up the no-hitter. Ebonee Echols walked to put two runners on base, but Ta'amilo worked out of the jam to keep a run from scoring.
- MSU left nine baserunners after leaving double-digit runners on base in each of the last three games. The Spartans have stranded 58 runners in this current five-game skid.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Azevedo, Holly (6-0)
L: Rainey, Bridgette (4-5)
Batting:
2B: Pack, Taylor 1 ; Nickles, Bubba 1 ; Rodriguez, Julie 1 ; Quarles, Malia 1
RBI: Perez, Briana 1 ; Jordan, Aaliyah 1 ; Tautalafua, Brianna 2 ; Pack, Taylor 1 ; Nickles, Bubba 2 ; Rodriguez, Julie 1 ; Quarles, Malia 1
SH: Perez, Kylee 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Perez, Briana 2 ; Perez, Kylee 1 ; Jordan, Aaliyah 1 ; Tautalafua, Brianna 1 ; Pack, Taylor 1 ; Nickles, Bubba 1 ; Rodriguez, Julie 1 ; Washington, Kinsley 2
HBP: Nickles, Bubba 1
Base Running:
HBP: Echols, Ebonee 1
