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Designated player Claire Sua and the No. 2 Bruins will host No. 3 Washington on Friday and Saturd

Team ready for challenge of matchup against Washington

Huskies have powerful team, but Bruins want to reclaim home-field advantage at Easton

Bob Costa
Published: Friday, April 18, 2003

It might seem odd to describe the No. 2 UCLA softball team (34-5) as struggling.

But after dropping three of its past five games – two at home to then-No. 2 Arizona two weekends ago and one to No. 20 Oregon in Eugene last weekend – struggling is what the Bruins (6-3 Pac-10) are doing early in the conference season.

With No. 3 Washington (37-5-1, 6-3 Pac-10) in town this weekend for a two-game series at Easton Stadium, players and coaches alike stressed that these games were not any more important than the rest of the conference slate.

“Every game in the Pac-10 is a big game,” shortstop Natasha Watley said. “On any given day, any team can fall.”

“I look forward to this weekend as another opportunity to get better. The Bruins get to face a competitive team; I look forward to that challenge,” head coach Sue Enquist said.

Players are hoping this weekend’s matchup is a return to the form that brought about a 22-game winning streak in non-conference play and to regain the home-field advantage that used to be a trademark of Easton Stadium.

“We’re all just looking forward to playing games and seeing how we do against other teams. I think we are ready to meet the challenge against Washington,” designated player Claire Sua said.

“You never want to lose at home,” first baseman Tairia Mims added. “(The losses to Arizona) were a little bit disappointing. Coming out here showing them that this is our field and trying to send that message is what we are going to try and do.”

In order to send any kind of a message, UCLA pitcher Keira Goerl must slow down the Huskies’ powerful offense, led by designated player Kristen Rivera. She leads the Huskies with a .383 batting average, 17 home runs and 51 RBI. Washington’s top pitcher, Tia Bollinger has a miniscule 1.18 ERA.

“Washington has everything,” Enquist said. “They have a solid pitcher in Bollinger who does a great job of hitting her spots. They’re an excellent hitting team, they have hitters who can hit for power. They get it done.”