By LOS ANGELES, Calif., – The No. 8 University of California, Los Angeles Bruins (42-7) no-hit Long Beach State softball (21-20) in a five-inning 9-0 loss at Easton Stadium on Tuesday night.
UCLA senior pitcher Jada Cecil overpowered The Beach, posting her first career no-hitter in 95 pitches while tallying eight strikeouts over five innings of work.
“We just couldn’t seem to string anything together…we had a tough time making adjustments against that pitcher [Cecil],” LBSU head coach Kim Sowder said.
The Beach got off to a good start with a leadoff walk from senior left fielder Jacquelyn Bickar.
The Beach chose to be aggressive early as Bickar took off for second base on an attempted steal but was thrown out, and Cecil went on to end the first inning with her second strikeout.
UCLA jumped on LBSU senior starting pitcher Eryka Gonzales right away after an RBI double into right field from junior first baseman Megan Grant gave the Bruins a quick 1-0 lead.
Gonzales continued to struggle, giving up an RBI single to sophomore designated player Alexis Ramirez. The Bruins scored three runs on four hits in the first inning, forcing a call to the bullpen.
Freshman pitcher Brynne Nally replaced Gonzales in the second inning and provided The Beach with two innings of work, giving up just one earned run.
However, Cecil continued to dominate The Beach as the Bruins led by four in the third inning.
UCLA senior pitcher Jada Cecil shut down LBSU, throwing a no-hitter for the Bruins on Tuesday night at Easton Stadium. Cecil picked up her third win and stayed undefeated (3-0) as a starter. Photo credit: Mark Siquig
“Brynne did a nice job of coming in and competing and pitched a couple good innings for us,” Sowder said. “I definitely think that was the highlight of the day.”
After being shut down for two innings, the Bruins came back roaring in the fourth, scoring five runs, with three being earned off four hits given up by graduate pitcher Lindsey Cowans.
Grant’s second RBI of the game came in the fourth by way of a line drive up the middle, adding on to UCLA’s 354 runs scored, which is good for third best in the country.
UCLA had LBSU on the ropes, up 9-0 with a potential mercy rule on the horizon as they headed into the fifth inning.
Cecil stayed in cruise control as she went on to shut The Beach down in order, adding on two more strikeouts on her way to completing her first career no-hitter in a 9-0 mercy rule win as her teammates rushed her in celebration.
The Beach will have to put this one behind them as they play six important conference games, which have tournament implications for the first-ever Big West Softball Championship Tournament.
“At this point, everything is in our control,” Sowder said. “We just need to play one game, one pitch at a time and do the best we can in that moment and try to take care of business.”
LBSU goes on the road to take on California State University, Bakersfield for a three-game series starting on Friday, April 25.
