UCLA Keeps Its Hopes Alive With Two Wins

Emily Zaplatosch had three hits, including a home run, Andrea Duran had an inside-the-park home run and UCLA defeated Texas, 2-0, Saturday night at the Women’s College World Series.

The loss eliminated Texas (55-9) and Olympic gold-medal-winning pitcher Cat Osterman from the tournament.

The Longhorns did not win an NCAA title during Osterman’s four seasons.

Earlier, Jennifer Griffin’s two-run home run in the top of the ninth inning lifted Tennessee to a 3-1 victory over Arizona State in an elimination game.

Tennessee (60-11) advanced to play Arizona today, and Arizona State was knocked out of the tournament.

UCLA (50-8) will play Northwestern today at noon PDT, and if the Bruins win that one, the teams would play again at 6 p.m. to decide which team advances.

Earlier Saturday, Arizona State (53-15) had won an elimination game, beating Oregon State, 3-1. UCLA defeated Alabama, 4-1, in another loser-out game.

Against Texas, Zaplatosch became the first player this season to get three hits off Osterman, hitting a single in the second inning, a solo homer in the fourth and a double in the seventh inning.

Duran, the Pacific 10 Conference player of the year who had a homer and a triple in the victory over Alabama, hit an inside-park-homer to right field in the third inning against Texas to account for UCLA’s first run.

The Bruins had five hits off Osterman, who struck out nine and walked none in her final collegiate game.

She finished the season 38-4 and was 136-25 in her career.

Winning pitcher Anjelica Selden (35-6) gave up only three hits, all singles, and struck out 12.

Duran also sparked UCLA to its victory over Alabama.

She tripled in the first inning and hit her 14th homer in the third. She scored in the first on Krista Colburn’s single.

Tara Henry’s single in the sixth inning accounted for the other UCLA runs.

Selden (34-6) limited Alabama (54-11) to six hits. She struck out five and walked three.

Alabama’s only run came on Dominique Accetturo’s two-out home run in the second inning. It was her fifth homer.

Steph VanBrakle (28-6) was the losing pitcher for the Crimson Tide. She yielded five hits and three runs -- two earned -- in two innings.