UCLA Downs Wahine Softball in Second Game of Doubleheader - Hawaii News Now - KGMB and KHNL

UCLA Downs Wahine Softball in Second Game of Doubleheader

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LAS VEGAS, Nev.—(Hawaii Athletics) The No. 20/23 University of Hawai'i softball team (6-3, 0-0 Big West) fell in five innings to No. 18/19 UCLA, 11-1 on a chilly night at Eller Media Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev. Freshman pitcher Keiki Carlos suffered her first loss, dropping her record to 2-1 on the season while fellow frosh pitcher Loie Kesterson made her first collegiate appearance for the 'Bows.
 
The Bruins (4-1, 0-0 PAC-12) got a pair of two run home runs by B.B. Bates and Ally Carda in the first inning to take a quick 4-0 lead. UCLA added three more runs in the second. Allexis Bennett led the inning off with a walk and stole second. She moved to third on a ground out to first and then scored on an errant throw by the catcher. A walk and a single through the leftside of the infield put two runners on base. Both were pushed into scoring position on a ground out back to the pitcher and then Jessica Hall drove both in on a single up the middle with two outs to push their lead to 5-0.
 
Hawai'i threatened to make some noise in the top of the third inning. After a ground out to third, Brynne Buchanan laced a single back up the middle and then Kelly Majam followed with a walk. Kayla Wartner dropped a single to third to load the bases for Carlos, who drove in Buchanan with a sacrifice fly to right for UH's only run of the game.
 
The Bruins were held scoreless through the next two innings, but in the fifth, UCLA erupted for four runs to put the game away. The first run came on an RBI single by Mysha Sataraka but the big blow came off the bat of Bates who struck again with a three-run home run to push UCLA's lead to 11-1 to end the game in five innings.
 
Carlos threw the first two innings, allowing seven runs on four hits with five walks. Kesterson threw 2.2 innings, allowing four runs on five hits with a walk and a strike out.
 
UCLA's Carda fired 5.0 innings, giving up one run on two hits with two walks and nine K's.
 
Hawai'i continues play in the Easton Desert Classic (hosted by UNLV) on Saturday against No. 7/9 Oregon at 1:30 pm (PT).