No. 4 UCLA Slips By 23rd-Ranked Bulldogs, 2-0
May 25, 2016 | Softball
* Official Statistics (PDF)
LAKEWOOD, Calif. - Fourth-ranked UCLA got a solo homer from Andrea Duran in the bottom of the fifth inning to provide starter Lisa Dodd with all the offense she would need as the Bruins slipped by 23rd-ranked Mississippi State with a 2-0 victory over the Bulldogs Friday evening at the Long Beach Invitational in Lakewood, Calif.
State (19-5) got singles from three different players, including sophomore Hayle Guess who also tallied a stolen base against the national runner-up from last season. UCLA (21-1) got 2-for-3 outings from a pair of players, as well as a home run from Andrea Duran, en route to recording its 16th consecutive win.
MSU righthander Stephanie Comeaux (10-1) picked up her first loss of the campaign after allowing a pair of earned runs on seven hits and a trio of walks. UCLA starter Lisa Dodd (9-0) picked up the win for the Bruins, striking out three Bulldogs and scattering three hits over her ninth complete game of the season.
I thought that we competed but, with teams like that, when you get an opportunity you have to take advantage of it, said Mississippi State head coach Jay Miller. We had some opportunities, but we weren't able to take advantage of them. I thought Stephanie pitched a good ball game because she kept us in it and gave us an opportunity to win.
"We didn't get people to step up and drive in runs when we had people in scoring position. That's the key against teams like UCLA - when you get your chance, you have to take advantage. We didn't do that today.
UCLA got something going in its half of the second, getting a one-out knock up the middle from Dodd and then got a pair of runners into position after Holum's pot shot went off the end of MSU leftfielder Nakita Boyce's glove on a diving attempt in shallow leftfield. After a walk was issued to Ashley Herrera to load the bases for the Bruins, however, Comeaux regained her composure and retired the next two in order to slam the door on the scoring threat.
MSU gambled on the base paths in the top of the sixth after a leadoff single by Guess. When Katie Johnson's hard grounder was corralled by the Bruins on a hit and run with the next at-bat, Guess rounded second to get the Bulldogs that much closer to scoring, but was doubled off on the play to end the inning.
A two-out RBI single by Tara Henry in the bottom of the sixth would provide the final.
Mississippi State will resume play in the Long Beach Invitational on Saturday when the Bulldogs return to Mayfair Park for a 9 a.m. PDT match-up with Mercer (6-11), before taking on host Long Beach State (10-10) at 1:30 p.m. The Bulldogs will close out tournament play on Sunday with a rematch against UCLA at 12:15 p.m.
