UCLA Softball Earns Ticket Back to Series

Sophomore Andrea Duran drove in three runs and right-hander Keira Goerl pitched a four-hitter as top-seeded UCLA routed second-seeded Alabama, 7-0, in the NCAA Region 2 championship game Sunday at Easton Stadium, and the Bruins advanced to the Women’s College World Series for the sixth consecutive season.

The Bruins (43-9), the defending national champions who will be making their 21st appearance in the Series in 23 years, will face Pacific 10 rival Stanford in a first-round game Thursday in Oklahoma City.

“I think what you saw today is what you’ll see in the College World Series,” said Duran, who went hitless in four at-bats in a 5-2 semifinal victory over the Crimson Tide on Saturday but keyed a three-run second inning and drove in the lone fourth-inning run for the Bruins in the final Sunday.

Duran hit a two-out single to score Ashley Herrera, who had walked, and Julie Hoshizaki, who had reached on a run-scoring double that drove in Emily Zaplatosch. Zaplatosch had been hit by a pitch from Alabama right-hander Erin Wright.

Wright (15-8) started and gave up four earned runs, four hits and two walks in three innings. Goerl (27-7), who is fourth among the NCAA career-victory leaders with 126, was much sharper for the Bruins.

Given an early 3-0 lead, the senior did most of the rest of the work.

Selected the game’s outstanding player, Goerl had eight strikeouts and retired and retired 15 of the last 17 batters she faced.

“I think that was normal for me,” Goerl said. “It was nice to have a lead.

“Being on top, we know that early in the game we sent a message.”

Alabama (45-20) got it.

*

In other regionals, three more Pacific 10 teams -- Cal, Stanford and Washington -- secured berths in the World Series. Oregon State will play Michigan today for a chance at another Series berth.

Gaining the other three regional spots were Florida State, Louisiana State and Oklahoma.