Grand Canyon stuns UCLA in regional
LOS ANGELES >> The Grand Canyon University softball team used a fourthinning home run to beat No. 2 overall seed UCLA 3-2 in the first game of the NCAA Los Angeles Regional on Friday at Easton Stadium.
The Bruins beat the Antelopes, 12-1, in last season’s Los Angeles Regional, but GCU stunned the 12-time national champion Bruins this time for the first postseason victory in program history.
UCLA’s Megan Grant was 2 for 4 with two RBIs and a home run and Aaliyah Jordan went 2 for 3.
Megan Faraimo pitched 3-1/3 innings, giving up two hits and recording six strikeouts. Brooke Yanez threw two innings in relief and gave up no hits with two strikeouts.
The Bruins (52-6) took a 1-0 lead in the third inning when leadoff hitter Grant singled to drive in Lauren Hatch, who was running for catcher Alyssa Garcia, but GCU (47-11) made a statement in the fourth inning with a three-run home run.
Savanna Pola seemed like she was about to make a catch on a ball hit by Katelyn Dunckel, but the ball slipped out of her glove and Dunckel ended up with a double. Ramsay Lopez was walked, then
Madison Schaefer ripped a ball over the left field wall for a home run and the lead.
Lauren Shaw came in to relieve Faraimo in the circle and the Bruins forced a groundout and line out to get out of the inning.
Grant roped a straight shot over the center field wall for her 14th home run of the year in the fifth inning to trim GCU’s lead to 3-2. Yanez came in to pitch for UCLA in the sixth inning and held the visitors scoreless for the frame.
Janelle Meono had a two-out single in the seventh inning, but Grant was unable to drive in the tying run.
UCLA will be back on the field in the fourteam double-elimination event on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. against the loser of Friday night’s game between Liberty and San Diego State.
UCLA’s loss completed an 0-for-4 day for teams from the region.
Other games
Cal State Fullerton lost to Auburn 12-2 in its opener at the Clemson Regional, Loyola Marymount lost to Florida 3-2 at the Stanford Regional and will face Big West Conference champion Long Beach State in an elimination game on Saturday. LBSU lost to Stanford 1-0 in its opener.