(Photo Courtesy of UCLA Athletics)
CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. – Senior Alyssa Tiumalu had three singles with three runs batted in, while sophomore Brittany Moeai recorded a career-best four RBI, as the eighth-ranked Bruins completed a 5-0 weekend at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic with a 13-0, five-inning win over New Mexico on Sunday.
The Bruins improve to 16-0 on the season, the team’s best start since the National Championship campaign of 2004 (25-0).
UCLA had seven hits and was also patient at the plate with a dozen walks. Junior Ally Carda drove in two runs, while junior Tara Mueller tallied the first two RBI of her career with a pair of bases-loaded walks.
In the circle, senior Jessica Hall improved to 5-0 on the year, striking out two and giving up just three hits and a walk. Hall, who has still not allowed an earned run this year in 27 innings, had 1-2-3 frames in the first and third.
The Bruins jumped all over the Lobos (1-13) with six runs in the bottom of the first. Carda led off with a single to right, stole second and moved to third when New Mexico shortstop Michala Erickson was not able to come up with the throw. After a walk to Delaney Spaulding, the freshman took off for second and got in a pickle long enough between first and second to allow Carda to steal home for the Bruins’ first run. Walks to junior Stephany LaRosa and sophomore Mysha Sataraka loaded the bases for Moeai, who cleared them with a double to left-center to put UCLA up 4-0.
Tiumalu followed with a single to right, but Moeai was thrown out at home for the first out of the inning. Hall then doubled to left to get Tiumalu to third and a walk to junior Gracie Goulder loaded the bases for Mueller, who drew a free pass to score Tiumalu to make it 5-0. Carda also walked to force home Hall with the Bruins’ sixth run.
In the second, the Bruins scored one more. Sataraka singled up the middle and moved to second after Moeai was hit by a pitch. Tiumalu then singled to left to plate Sataraka to make it 7-0.
UCLA got to double figures with a six spot in the third. Carda was hit by a pitch to open the frame and stole second, which was followed by walks to Spaulding and LaRosa to load the bases, as junior Kaelin Sprawls came in to run for LaRosa. One out later, Moeai was plunked to force home Carda to make it 8-0. A single to center by Tiumalu scored Spaulding and Sprawls with runs nine and 10, as Moeai took third and Tiumalu advanced to second on the throw home.
A walk to Hall loaded the bases for Goulder, who grounded one to short, but it was bobbled by Erickson, allowing Moeai to score the 11th run. Another bases-loaded walk to Mueller made it 12-0 and Carda lifted a sacrifice fly to left to bring in Hall with UCLA’s 13th run.
