NCAA SOFTBALL : Fernandez Sets Mark With 24th Victory in a Row

UCLA pitcher Lisa Fernandez broke the NCAA record for consecutive victories Friday with her 24th, a three-hit, 1-0 victory over Utah at UCLA in one of eight regionals in the NCAA Division I women’s softball tournament.

Fernandez (24-0), a junior, walked two and struck out 11 in seven innings in breaking the record she set over the 1990-91 seasons.

Top-ranked UCLA (48-2) scored in the first inning after Kathy Evans reached base on an error by first baseman Amy Dillon and advanced to third on an error by catcher Deb DiMeglio. Fernandez drove in Evans with a ground-ball out.

Unranked Utah (25-19), Western Athletic Conference champion, is the last-seeded team in the 20-team national field.

UCLA managed two hits off Utah pitcher Janet Womack (19-9), who struck out three and walked one in six innings.

Bruin third baseman Joanne Alchin, a freshman, committed UCLA’s only error. It came in the first inning and allowed Utah to load the bases with one out, but Fernandez struck out DiMeglio and Laurel Simmons to end the inning.

“They (the Bruins) are a very young team,” said UCLA Coach Sharron Backus, “and I don’t want to make excuses for them, but at times, I don’t know what team will show up.”

Four freshmen are in the Bruins’ starting lineup.

UCLA and Utah play the remaining games of the best-of-three series of the two-team regional today at UCLA. Regional winners play in the national tournament, May 21-24 at Oklahoma City.