April 18, 1998

LOS ANGELES - After dropping game one 6-5, the UCLA Softball team bounced back to defeat No. 23 Oregon 10-4 in the second game of a doubleheader Saturday in front of 643 fans at UCLA's Easton Softball Stadium.

Led by freshman Casey Hiraiwa, who was a perfect 3-for-3 in game two with two RBI and a run scored, UCLA extended its 5-4 lead when it exploded for a five-run fourth inning. With runners on first and second and one out, Carissa Millsap began the Bruin rally with a single up the middle scoring Nicole Odom from second and advancing Jenny Gardner to third. Two more RBI singles by Jenna Shih and Danielle Martin put the Bruins up 9-4, before Hiraiwa capped the rally with a single to left field scoring Shih from third.

Picking up the game two victory was Erin Weiler, who recorded her seventh victory of the season and her first since UCLA's March 7 game versus No. 22 Kansas. Lyndsey Gayer relieved Weiler in the third inning to notch her first save of the year.

Preceeding UCLA's game two victory, the Bruins fell just short of a thrilling come from behind upset in game one, losing 6-5. Down 6-2 heading into the bottom of the seventh, Hiraiwa singled to center field, advancing Laurie Fritz to second base. Kim Wuest followed with her 10th home run of the season, cutting the Oregon lead to 6-5 with one out. After an Odom double to centerfield, Gardner flied out to center and Millsap grounded out to third, ending UCLA's hopes of pulling out the comeback victory.

Playing in her first two games at shortstop all season, Hiraiwa didn't commit an error all afternoon and finished the day 4-for-6 with two RBI and two runs scored. Oregon (33-17; 5-7 Pac-10) was led by centerfielder Lindsey Welch, who was 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored in the Ducks' opening game win.

With the win, UCLA registers its third victory over a ranked team this season and improves to 12-17 overall and 2-8 in Pac-10 play. The Bruins return to action tomorrow when they host No. 18 Oregon State for a doubleheader at Easton Stadium beginning at 1:00 p.m.

Game 1

Oregon  300   101   1 -- 6  9  0
UCLA    010   010   3 -- 5  7  2

Cook and Planche. Swenson and Millsap. 
WP- Cook (18-10). LP- Swenson (4-6).
HR-UCLA: Wuest (10).

Game 2

Oregon  000   400   0 -- 4   9  3
UCLA    104   500   x -- 10 12  0

Smith, Birnbaum (4) and Planche. Weiler, Gayer (4) and Millsap. 
WP- Weiler (7-7). LP- Smith (10-7).
SV- Gayer (1). HR- Oregon: Welch (6).