May 16, 2008

Box Score

WESTWOOD, CA - Katie Gollhardt homered and Crystal Vieyra finished 2-for-2 with an RBI, but it wasn't enough as host and No. 2 national seed UCLA posted an 8-3 victory in the NCAA Tournament opener for both teams on Friday evening at Easton Stadium.

The Titans fell to 27-27-1 overall and will meet Purdue in an elimination game on Saturday afternoon at a time to be determined. The Bruins improved to 46-7 and will meet second-seeded Nevada in the day's first game at 3 p.m.

Gollhardt's home run was her seventh of the season as she took the third pitch of the game over the wall in left centerfield to give Fullerton the early, 1-0, lead.

That advantage lasted until the third, however, as UCLA put up three runs to take the lead for good. Ashley Herrera singled and Katie Schroeder doubled with one out in the inning to put a pair in scoring position for the Bruins.

Krista Colburn then lifted a fly ball to left field that was deep enough to score Herrera and tie the game at 1-1. Amanda Kamekona then followed with the first of her two home runs on the day, lining a shot off the left field foul pole to make it 3-1 in favor of UCLA.

The Bruins upped their advantage to 5-1 in the fourth with a pair of unearned runs, taking advantage of a two-base error in the outfield and a sacrifice fly by Katie Schroeder to build the four-run lead.

Fullerton battled back in the sixth to pull to within two runs as a fielder's choice and a pair of walks loaded the bases for Vieyra, who singled through the left side with one out to score K.C. Craddick and make it 5-2. Sheila Holguin then followed with a fly ball to right that plated pinch-runner Vina Rodriguez to cut the deficit to 5-3.

However, that would be as close as the Titans would be able to get as back-to-back home runs by Krista Colburn (two-run home run) and Kamekona extended the Bruins' advantage to 8-3 and Megan Langenfeld closed the door in the seventh, retiring the side in order to end the game.

Anjelica Selden (25-3) earned the win, allowing three runs (one earned) on three hits, walking a pair and striking out eight in six innings of work.

Christine Hiner (14-14) suffered the loss in her first-ever postseason start, allowing three runs on four hits in three innings, walking one and striking out one. Senior Jessica Doucette, who hadn't pitched since game three of a Big West Conference series against Long Beach State on May 4, surrendered three earned on six hits in three innings of relief.

ED. NOTE: Vieyra was hit by a pitch for the 56th time in her career in the fourth inning, moving her just six shy of the NCAA Division I record... Saturday's meeting with Purdue will be the second of the 2008 season between the two schools, but the first ever in the postseason as the Boilermakers are making their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance... Fullerton defeated Purdue, 5-0, back on Feb. 29 in the opener of the Worth Invitational... with the loss the Titans are just 2-7 in the postseason on UCLA's home field with eight of the nine games coming against the Bruins.