Undefeated softball prepares for UCLA tourney

Published: Wednesday, March 1, 1995

No. 2 Bruins, led by Brundage and Burns, host Utah, UNLV, Michigan this weekend

By Rick Pal

With a lopsided 10-2, 9-0 doubleheader sweep of No. 19 Long Beach State on Saturday under its belts, the only thing that can slow down the red-hot UCLA softball team is time.

The second-ranked Bruins (14-0 overall, 2-0 in the Pac-10) will next see their next action Friday morning after a one-week layoff. The UCLA/Easton Reebok Invitational will provide UCLA with its first major test. The Bruins will face three ranked teams, No. 5 UNLV, No. 7 Utah, as well as No. 18 Michigan.

Utah is hoping to bounce back from an 8-1 whipping received last Sunday at the UNLV Softball Classic. After a slow start, Utah, currently 5-7, will probably start All-American Ali Andrus against the Bruins. With a less-than-convincing 3-5 record and 2.69 ERA, Andrus is hoping to prove her All-American status against the Bruins.

The invitational will also feature fifth-ranked UNLV, a team that has already proven that it has the talent to knock off UCLA when the Rebels beat the Bruins 1-0 last year. The Bruins got their revenge though, eliminating UNLV in the regionals from the College World Series, 3-2.

The Rebels are hot off the heels of a first-place finish at their own tournament. They currently sport an impressive 15-2 record.

"We haven't seen a lot of these teams because they don't play in our region but we know UNLV is tough," UCLA third baseman Jennifer Brundage said. "They have most of their pitchers and big hitters back and they're going to be gunning for us because of what we did to them last year."

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Speaking of Brundage, her several clutch hits in the Long Beach State series boosted her batting average to a staggering .673. She finished last season with a .440 batting average. Her slugging percentage remains maxed out at 1.000.

"I've worked on my mental approach and so I am more confident when I step into the batters box," Brundage said. "Also, with the fact that the team is hitting, there is a lot less pressure on me. I know that even if I don't get the big hit, I know someone else in the lineup will."

With eight batters hitting over .400, it's not hard to figure out why the Bruins have roughed up the opponent's pitchers. Shortstop Nicole Odom, outfielder Kathi Evans, and second baseman Kelly Howard have lit it up, averaging .487 between them. Odom has three home runs to back her .478 average.

Couple those stats with the outstanding pitching of back-to-back Pac-10 pitcher of the week B' Ann Burns, who currently owns a 10-0 record with 55 strikeouts and an untouchable 0.53 ERA, and you have a championship caliber ballclub. With a team this good, things can only go downhill from here, right?

Not according to Brundage.

"There is definitely room for improvement," Brundage said.