COLLEGE SOFTBALL / NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS : Long Beach, UCLA Open With Wins

UCLA senior Lisa Longaker pitched a three-hitter and Yvonne Gutierrez hit a two-run home run in the first inning Wednesday as the Bruins defeated Kent State, 4-0, in the opening game of softball’s College World Series.

On Friday, UCLA (58-6) will face Cal State Long Beach (48-17), which defeated Nevada Las Vegas, 2-0, in the second game of the double-elimination tournament.

Longaker struck out nine, walked none and retired the first 10 batters as she improved her record to 20-1. It was her 13th shutout of the season. Kent State fell to 43-8.

For Long Beach, freshman Mary Letourneau scattered six singles and sophomore shortstop Kim Kostyk had two hits and scored both runs. Letourneau is 21-9 with 15 shutouts.

UNLV (40-26) plays Kent State Friday.

Longaker, Gutierrez and UCLA third baseman Lisa Fernandez were named first-team All-Americans. It is the third consecutive year Longaker has been named. Letourneau was selected to the third team.