Softball drops 4-1 decision to No. 7 UCLA at NCAA Regionals

Saturday, May 16

Los Angeles, Calif.

2 p.m.

University of Texas

38-16

UCLA

47-10

Texas

UCLA

Softball drops 4-1 decision to No. 7 UCLA at NCAA Regionals

05.16.2015 | Softball

Box Score

Texas will face Cal St. Northridge-San Diego St. winner on Saturday at approximately 7 p.m. CT

LOS ANGELES, Calif. – On Saturday afternoon at Easton Stadium, UCLA (47-10) rode a trio of HR's to a 4-1 victory over Texas (38-16) to drop the Longhorns into the loser's bracket at the NCAA Los Angeles Regional.

With the defeat, UT will now face the winner of Saturday's Cal State Northridge-San Diego State contest at approximately 7 p.m. CT tonight with elimination on the line. The victor in Saturday night's finale would be required to defeat UCLA twice on Sunday to advance to next weekend's NCAA Super Regionals.

The Longhorns' offense banged out five hits against Bruin starter Ally Carda, led by sophomore shortstop Devon Tunning's perfect 3-for-3 effort with a walk. The Montgomery, Texas, native has now reached in all eight plate appearances during the NCAA Los Angeles Regional with five base hits and three walks.

Junior catcher Erin Shireman continued her impressive performance at the plate by going 1-for-2 with Texas' lone RBI, improving her regional batting mark to .667 on 4-for-6 with a HR and four total RBIs. Sophomore left fielder Stephanie Wong was 1-for-4 at the dish with a run scored in the loss.

In the circle for the Horns, freshman Erica Wright took the loss, falling to 18-8 on the season after allowing three earned runs on three hits with a walk over 2.0 innings. Sophomore Tiarra Davis permitted a single tally on three hits with four strikeouts over 4.0 frames of relief.

Texas threatened right from the start of the contest against Carda, loading the bases with two down in the top of the first on a Tunning lead-off single and Lindsey Stephens and Shireman walks. Sophomore first baseman Kelli Hanzel stepped to the dish and battled UCLA's hurler hard over an eight-pitch at-bat. Unfortunately, she fouled out on a 3-2 pitch down the left field line as Texas missed a huge early scoring opportunity.

The Bruins followed quickly by utilizing the long ball to nab an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first. An Allexis Bennett walk was cashed in on a two-out, two-run HR to left center by catcher Stephanie LaRosa.

The Longhorns got something underway in the top of the second as freshman third baseman Randel Leahy was hit by a pitch and Tunning singled to station runners at the corners with two retired. Carda unleashed a pitch that got away from catcher LaRosa and rolled to the backstop. Leahy took off attempting to score from 60 feet away, but LaRosa made a perfect throw to Carda covering the plate for the inning-ending tag out.

This season's two-out UT scoring trend continued in the top of the third as Texas successfully cut its deficit to 2-1. Wong christened the frame with a lead-off single up the middle, advancing to second following a K and a groundout to second. That brought Shireman to the dish with a big opportunity and the Pearland, Texas, product delivered again in regional action with a RBI single to left.

UCLA earned the run right back opening the bottom of the third as shortstop Delaney Spaulding drove a lead-off solo HR to left to make it 3-1. The Bruins also got a runner within 60 feet of pay dirt on a high bouncing double up the middle and a fly ball to deep right. She wouldn't move from that spot, however, as Tunning charged a bouncer just over the circle off the bat of first baseman Maddy Jelenicki and made a strong throw to first to limit the damage to just a single tally in the frame.

It took a great Bruin defensive play to keep the Horns off the board in the top of the fifth. After Tunning walked to reach for the seventh consecutive time at regionals and improved to third on a passed ball and a groundout, senior designated player Gabby Smith hit a ball that threatened to escape through the right side of the infield. Unfortunately for the Horns, UCLA second baseman Gracie Goulder made a diving stop and rolled the ball to first for a run-saving third out.

The advantage grew to 4-1 in the bottom of the sixth as Jelenicki hit UCLA's third HR of the game, a solo shot, over the wall in right.

With a final chance to extend the contest, Texas got yet another single from Tunning with two retired, but a liner to left field ended the Bruin victory.

NCAA Los Angeles Regional Schedule:

Friday, May 15

Game 1 – 5 p.m. CT – San Diego State vs. TEXAS – TEXAS wins 8-3

Game 2 – 7:30 p.m. CT – Cal State Northridge vs. #7-seed UCLA – UCLA wins 9-1 (5 inn.)

Saturday, May 16

Game 3 – 2 p.m. CT – TEXAS vs. #7-seed UCLA – UCLA wins 4-1

Game 4 – 4:30 p.m. CT – San Diego State vs. Cal State Northridge – ESPN3

Game 5 – 7 p.m. CT – TEXAS vs. Game 4 Winner – ESPN3 & Longhorn Network

Sunday, May 17

Game 6 – 2 p.m. CT – #7-seed UCLA vs. Game 5 Winner – ESPN3

Game 7 – 4:30 p.m. CT – Game 6 Winner vs. Game 6 Loser (if necessary) – ESPN3

Texas Postgame Notes

Streaks – The Longhorns dropped to 48-32 overall in NCAA Tournament play in the program's 16th overall appearance and 34-20 in NCAA Regional play. UCLA leads the series between the two teams, 10-5, with the squads having split a pair of 2015 meetings.

Devon Tunning – The Longhorns' shortstop has been on fire in the two games at the NCAA Regionals. The sophomore has reached in all eight plate appearances over the two games after going 3-for-3 with a walk against UCLA. The sophomore's lead-off single in the first inning was the 34th occasion that Texas' lead-off hitter has reached to start a game this season. The base knock also extended both her streak of reaching base safely and career-long hitting streak to 10 games. Today's walk was her 40th, which leads the team.

Erin Shireman – The Texas backstop collected a hit and RBI against UCLA and is now 4-for-6 with two runs scored, a HR and four RBIs in 2015 NCAA Tournament play.