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Leading the Way

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Times Staff Writer

Facing a leadoff batter is usually a fairly painless endeavor for a pitcher, especially in the first inning. At worst, it seems, you surrender a single or a walk and move on to the next batter.

But not when you’re pitching to Andrea Duran, who tends to make such confrontations a sweaty-palm experience.

Six times this season the UCLA third baseman has led off a game with a home run, accounting for nearly half of her total of 13.

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In fact, the senior’s statistics more closely resemble those of a cleanup hitter than someone topping the order. She leads the top-ranked Bruins with 40 runs batted in, a .714 slugging percentage and 15 doubles. Her home-run total ranks second behind Jodie Legaspi’s 15.

“It’s not my goal to get up there and hit home runs; I’m just trying to get on,” Duran said. “If I happen to hit a home run, it’s awesome.”

Duran will try to lift UCLA (48-7) to another fast start at 6 PDT tonight in Oklahoma City when the Bruins play Tennessee (58-10) in their opener at the Women’s College World Series. The game will be televised by ESPN2.

“I take pride in being a leadoff hitter to get the game started and make an impact as soon as I can to set the tone for the game,” said Duran, whose .363 batting average also leads the Bruins. “My goal is just to put the ball in play and make the defense work.”

One might wonder why Bruins Coach Sue Enquist has penciled such a fearsome slugger into the No. 1 spot in her lineup for much of the past two seasons. Might Duran be more valuable hitting in the Nos. 3-5 spots?

“Sometimes the most difficult thing,” Enquist explained, “is to create the momentum.”

Duran has started plenty of hit parades. On Saturday she hit the first pitch she saw in UCLA’s super regional game against South Florida over the center-field fence, propelling the Bruins toward a 3-1 victory that clinched their berth in the eight-team national tournament.

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She also makes catchers toil, having accumulated a team-high 20 stolen bases in 22 attempts. Enquist said Duran is the first player in her 18 years as Bruins coach that she has given the green light to steal at her own discretion.

Duran’s combination of speed and power helped her become the Pacific 10 Conference player of the year. If humility was a factor, she might win the Triple Crown.

“When I announced she was the player of the year, she had no clue she was even a contender,” Enquist said.

“I’ve had plenty of previous players of the year, and they were counting the ballots when they came in.”

After hitting No. 9 as a freshman and No. 2 as a sophomore, Duran was thrust into the leadoff spot in the first game of her junior season because of an injury to Caitlin Benyi. Enquist was so impressed with Duran’s leadoff capabilities that she moved her there permanently later that season.

“I have just had so much success with Andrea’s consistency of starting momentum,” Enquist said. “She’s unique because she really can profile herself as a true vintage leadoff hitter and someone who can hit for pop.

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“If I’m picking a team from scratch today, I’m picking Andrea first.”

Duran aspires to play professional softball, having already starred for the United States’ gold-medal winning team at the World University Games in 2004. Does she hope to hit in a particular spot in the batting order with her pro team?

“Wherever they need me,” she said, “that’s where I’m going to go.”

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