Bruins Win L.A. Regional – Shut Out San Diego St.

Note #1 From The Editor:  This posting features a Deluxe Game Day  photo gallery as captured through the keen eyes and camera lens of our digital photographer, Erik Sarni,  plus a 10  minute “post-game”   interview session with Head Coach, Kelly Inouye-Perez, and designated players, Stephany LaRosa, Delaney Spaulding, and Ally Carda. To follow the Bruins during the Super Regional tournament, click here. Rico Cabrera, Sr./Editor, EastLASportsScene.Com

Note #2 From The Editor:  The Bruins claimed a three-game “sweep”  of all visiting opponents on their way to winning the NCAA’s, 2015 L.A. Regional Softball Tournament.  Defeated rather convincingly in this order were: Cal State Northridge  (9-1)  on Friday, Texas  (4-1) on Saturday, and San Diego State  (8-0) on Sunday. The #7 seeded Bruins (48-10)  now move on to their own UCLA Super Regional  in Los Angeles  this Memorial Day Holiday  weekend, Saturday, May 23rd when they take on the Southeastern Conference’s (SEC) #10 Missouri Tigers  (42-14), winners of the Columbia Regional Tournament.  Schedule of Games and Times on ESPNU ; Game 1: Saturday, 5 pm; Game 2: Sunday, 12 pm; and (If necessary) Game 3: Sunday, 3:00 pm.

Game #2 Summary (Texas): The Bruins faced the Longhorns earlier in the season and lost to them by a score of 5-3. But that was then and this is now. The Longhorns met the Bruins in the Winners bracket game on Day 2 and knew that this encounter would be different. Once again, Coach Inouye-Perez called on her senior team leader and tower of pitching power, Ally Carda  (27-6) to face the opposition and bring the victory home. She did not disappoint her Coaches nor her teammates as she pitched another sterling game and limited the Longhorns  to just 5 hits and 1 run. The Bruin bats went to work quickly and put up  2 runs in the first inning and then one in the 3rd and one in the 6th. On offense, home runs by Spaulding, LaRosa,  and Jelenicki  had Bruin fans cheering loudly and enthusiastically. On defense, infielders and outfielders all did their jobs and played 7 innings of errorless ball. The formula added up to yet another huge Bruin win, (4-1), thus earning themselves a trip to the Final of the tournament against San Diego State Aztecs.

Bruin Players Stat Lines: Winning Pitcher/Carda (28-6); Pitches/Strikes 115-67; Extra Base Hits: HRs/Spaulding (18); LaRosa(17) Jelenicki (8); 2B/Carda (14); RBIs: LaRosa (2); Spaulding (1); and Jelenicki (1).

Game #3 Summary (San Diego State): The Bruins entered their home field of Easton Stadium  as the visiting team under the NCAA tournament protocols, but they still came in ready to become the winners of the L.A. Regional. Veteran and Ace starter, Ally Carda,  (28-6) once again was asked to implement all of the pitching skills in her arsenal and hold their opponents to as few runs as possible in this match-up. Backed by her “Great 8“  in the field and their “Big Bat”  offense, the Bruins certainly had Carda’s back in this game. With losing never crossing their minds, the Bruins banged out four more homers, one each by Delaney Spaulding, Stephany LaRosa, Gabrielle Maurice  and Kylee Perez.  When the tourney was over and the stats given to the media, the mighty Bruin bats were credited with a total of 10  Round-Trippers in just three games, while Carda was credited with a miniscule .78 Earned Run Average (ERA) over her three games in the circle. Carda earned complete game wins in each contest.

Bruin Players Stat Lines: Winning Pitcher/Carda (29-6); Pitches/Strikes 93-53; Extra Base Hits: HRs/Spaulding (19); La Rosa (18); Maurice (9); Perez (5); 2B/Bennett (12); Stolen Base/Bennett (20).

Credits: Gameday Photo Gallery, Erik Sarni, Digital Photographer, East L.A. Sports Scene

Photo Gallery: Hover the selected picture and click once for an enhanced image.