Bruins Defeat Matadors In NCAA Regional Opener

Note #1 From The Editor:  The NCAA’s 2015 Los Angeles Regional Softball Tournament  opened up last Friday with a double-header. In Game 1, the Big XII’s Texas Longhorns  defeated the Mountain West’s San Diego State Aztecs  by a score of 8-3. In the second game, the Bruins quickly moved ino the winner’s bracket with a comfortable win over the Matadors  from Cal State Northridge  and the Big West Conference, winning by a final score of 9-1. The double elimination tournament ended on Sunday, 5.17.15  with the Bruins defeating the San Diego State Aztecs and earning the right to move into this weekend’s “two-out-of-three” Super Regional  vs. the Southeastern Conference (SEC)’s Missouri Tigers,  winners of the Columbia Regional Tournament.

Note #2 From The Editor:  This posting features a 24  minute video of game highlights and the NCAA’s customary “post-game”  team interview with Head Coach Kelly Inouye-Perez,  and these designated players, 3B/Mysha Sataraka,  Pitcher, Ally Carda,  and Catcher, Stephany LaRosa.

Bruin vs. CSUN Game Summary: After surrendering a solo HR to CSUN’s Katie Hooper  in their first at-bats of the game, Bruin pitching ace, Ally Carda, (27-6) settled into her dominant groove and then limited the Matador offense to only 3 more hits the remainder of the 5 inning contest. On the much-feared Bruin batting line-up, from 1 through 9, they once again did not disappoint their faithful fans as they continued to show their long-ball hitting skills, evidenced by a multiple power-surge with three home runs in the game, one each by Carda, LaRosa,  and Sataraka  in that order. In the 3rd inning, the bats were on fire as Carda  helped her own cause with a 2-run shot over the right centerfield wall. Then, the next batter, Stephany LaRosa,  delivered a “back-to-back”  shot of her own with an explosive drive well over the right center field fence as well, nearly identical to where Carda hit hers. The Bruins added two more runs in the inning to make the score, 5-1 after three. In the fourth inning, Bruin bats continued to sizzle when Mysha Sataraka  went yard with her 5th HR of the season, a 2-run blast, and the potent offense tacked on an extra two runs for good measure. On defense, Carda  had it on cruise control after the first inning, and her teammates  played flawlessly in the field to close out the Matadors. The game became official after the fifth inning via the mandatory Mercy Rule’s  8-run advantage over the opponent.

Bruin Players Stat Lines:  Carda,  Winning Pitcher (27-6); HRs: Carda-1  (8), LaRosa-1  (16), and Sataraka-1  (5); RBIs: Carda  (4); Sataraka  (3); LaRosa   (1); and Maurice  (1); Extra Base Hits: Doubles/Gabrielle Maurice-1 (12) and Allexis Bennett-1  (11). At Bats: Bennett  (3-3); Sataraka  (2-2); Carda  (2-3); Stolen Bases: Bennett-2  (19); Spaulding-1  (7).

Up Next: The Bruins play Game 1 of the Super Regionals  on Saturday, May 23rd at 5 pm. Game 2 is scheduled for Sunday, May 24th, at 12 pm, with the “if necessary”  game, slated for 3:00 pm of the same day. Check on tickets ASAP  since it’s projected to be a near “sell-out”  weekend for the Bruins and their loyal fans. For ticket and parking information, click  here.  Rico Cabrera, Sr./Editor, EastLASportsScene.Com