Bruins one win away from softball title
OKLAHOMA CITY – Emily Zaplatosch hit a two-run double and Anjelica Selden pitched a four-hit shutout to lift UCLA to a 5-0 win against Michigan in Game 1 of the Women’s College World Series championship Monday night.
UCLA (40-18) rallied for five runs in the sixth inning after loading the bases without getting a hit. Michigan starter Jennie Ritter (36-4) hit Andrea Duran with a pitch, Tara Henry reached on third baseman Grace Leutele’s fielding error and Ritter beaned Caitlin Benyi with nobody out.
Zaplatosch then lined a double to the gap in left-center field to score Duran and Henry.
After Zaplatosch’s double, Lorilyn Wilson relieved Ritter and allowed Benyi to score on a wild pitch before walking Jodie Legaspi. Alissa Eno, who pinch-ran for Zaplatosch, scored on a squibber in front of the plate by Kristen Dedmon that Michigan catcher Becky Marx was unable to field cleanly.
Lisa Dodd followed by grounding a single to center to score Legaspi and give the Bruins a 5-0 lead.
Selden (29-12) struck out 11, walked none and didn’t allow a Michigan (63-7) runner to reach second.
Game 2 of the best-of-3 series is tonight.
Ritter, who threw 94 pitches in Michigan’s 3-2 win against Tennessee earlier in the day, allowed four runs in a game for only the third time all season.