Other Bruin Sports
Previous topic | Next topic Return to Forum
Woochifer
Joined: 12/15/11 Posts: 9,123
Softball: NCAA Super Reg #2 UCLA vs VA Tech; 6:30pm Thurs
Posted Wed, May 26 10:42 pm (Edited Wed, May 26 10:44 pm)
#2 UCLA begins the Super Regional against Virginia Tech at 6:30pm on Thursday night. Game will be televised on ESPN. The Friday night game will also start at 6:30pm, with TV coverage on ESPN2. The if-necessary game on Saturday will also start at 6:30pm, TV on ESPN2.

According to the official release, since the inception of the NCAA Super Regional format 16 years ago, the Bruins have advanced out of the Regionals 12 times, and gone onto the WCWS 10 times. UCLA has lost twice in the Super Regional (Mizzou in 2009 and Kentucky in 2014).

This all looks good on paper, but the Hokies have a pitching ace in Keely Rochard capable of stealing a short series. As I've written before, the Super Regional format is designed to create upsets. Whereas in the regional round, a team needs quality pitching depth, that doesn't apply in a best 2 out of 3 series being played over 3 days. In the double-elimination regional and WCWS formats, teams that lose a game have to play an elimination doubleheader, which favors the teams that have a quality pitching tandem. In the Super Regional, teams can rest their ace overnight.

With Rachel and Megan, the Bruins have the best pitching tandem in the nation. If the Bruins play their game, they should be well on their way to the WCWS. But, if VA Tech manages to steal the first game, then anything can happen at that point. The Bruins have never been swept in a Super Regional. But, I remember in 2014 a heavily favored #2-ranked Bruin team losing to Kentucky and their freshman ace Kelsey Nunley (who would eventually become the SEC pitcher of the year). Difference is that this Bruin team has two dominant pitchers they can turn to, and each of them has pitched less than 125 innings this season. In 2014, Bruin ace Ally Carda pitched 220+ innings. Virginia Tech's ace Keely Rochard has pitched 226 innings this season -- over 2/3 of the total VA Tech's total innings played. So, depth and rest will hopefully be decisive in the Bruins' favor this time around.
This page is in overload mode. If you wish to read all messages, please click here.
Finally
Joined: 2/07/09 Posts: 1,636
Looking Really Bad
Posted Thu, May 27 6:51 pm
In response to Softball: NCAA Super Reg #2 UCLA vs VA Tech; 6:30pm Thurs (Woochifer)
right now. Might be an early exit if they don't start to wake up. Fielding and getting on base are lacking. It's still early, but V-Tech looks to be the aggressor in this one.
Replies to this subthread

MR.GKD
Joined: 10/10/09 Posts: 3,721
I would certainly expect
Posted Fri, May 28 1:40 pm
In response to Softball: NCAA Super Reg #2 UCLA vs VA Tech; 6:30pm Thurs (Woochifer)
to see a less tentative more aggressive Bruin squad tonight and a profoundly better strategy of knocking Rochard off her game. She is literally dictating the flow. UCLA is the better team here. Time to show up. Go Bruins.

Woochifer
Joined: 12/15/11 Posts: 9,123
Last time UCLA lost in Super Reg, they came back to win
Posted Fri, May 28 2:48 pm
In response to Softball: NCAA Super Reg #2 UCLA vs VA Tech; 6:30pm Thurs (Woochifer)
That was the 2016 Super Regional up in Eugene. UCLA was a heavy underdog going into that series against #5 Oregon. That was Rachel Garcia's freshman year, but she redshirted because of an ACL injury. Selina Ta'amilo was the only healthy Bruin pitcher. Any other year, she would have been the Bruins' #4 pitcher, but had to carry the team into the postseason.

The Bruins got routed 8-1 by the Ducks in the 1st game, but proceeded to win the elimination game and the if-necessary game by identical 2-1 scores. In the deciding game, Ta'amilo faltered early after pitching 9 innings in the earlier elimination game win. She was replaced by oft-injured pitcher Paige McDuffie who came in and shut the Ducks down in a 6+ inning relief outing that propelled the Bruins into the WCWS in a year where they really had no business being there.

For today, I would have preferred the old two-day Super Regional format where teams would play the elimination game and the if-necessary game as a doubleheader on the same day. If the Bruins avoided elimination in that format, then that would force VA Tech to use Rochard again without any rest.

As such, with the 3-day format, she would get to rest overnight if the Bruins win tonight. Regardless, I think VA Tech has to close out tonight. If the Bruins avoid elimination, it would mean that they've figured out Rochard and fixed enough other areas to keep VA Tech's hitters under control.
Replies to this subthread

Woochifer
Joined: 12/15/11 Posts: 9,123
Super Regional: MAYA! Bruins take early 1-0 lead
Posted Fri, May 28 6:00 pm
In response to Softball: NCAA Super Reg #2 UCLA vs VA Tech; 6:30pm Thurs (Woochifer)
Live by the sword, die by the sword. Rochard served up a high strike that Maya Brady was looking for. She got all of it. I noted that Rochard isn't afraid of going up high. That gives her lots of opportunities to cross up the batters (the 1st 4 Bruin batters struck out), but that leaves her vulnerable to the long ball if the hitters know that she'll frequently dish it up.
Replies to this subthread

Woochifer
Joined: 12/15/11 Posts: 9,123
AALIYAH! Bruins up 2-0
Posted Fri, May 28 6:28 pm (Edited Fri, May 28 6:31 pm)
In response to Softball: NCAA Super Reg #2 UCLA vs VA Tech; 6:30pm Thurs (Woochifer)
In the 3rd, this time Aaliyah Jordan got a high pitch dished up and she didn't crank all of it. But, she got enough of it to clear the wall. Rochard struck out Rachel on a rise ball the next at-bat, but that home run ball was elevated right where Jordan could crush it. Rochard was tossing similar pitches last night, but the Bruins looked confused by how big an area she was targeting. Seems that now, they know to look for the high pitches.
Replies to this subthread

Woochifer
Joined: 12/15/11 Posts: 9,123
BruWIN! UCLA shuts out VT 2-0; Game 3 Sat 6:30pm ESPN2
Posted Fri, May 28 7:39 pm
In response to Softball: NCAA Super Reg #2 UCLA vs VA Tech; 6:30pm Thurs (Woochifer)
The if-necessary game just became necessary.

Megan Faraimo pitched a gem tonight. Only allowed 1 player to get on base (she got on base 3 times), but shut down the rest of the Hokie lineup. One-hit shutout with 11 Ks.

VA Tech ace Keely Rochard was also sharp tonight, but the Bruins seem to have figured out which pitches they want to swing at and two of them went yard tonight.

Expect Rachel to get the call tomorrow night. She's now rested and has had a chance to look at the VT lineup. She's the senior leader. UCLA will ride her for the chance to advance to their 7th straight WCWS.

Replies to this subthread

Woochifer
Joined: 12/15/11 Posts: 9,123
BRIANA! Bruins now up 3-0 in deciding game
Posted Sat, May 29 6:44 pm (Edited Sat, May 29 6:53 pm)
In response to Softball: NCAA Super Reg #2 UCLA vs VA Tech; 6:30pm Thurs (Woochifer)
Briana Perez just added a solo home run to give UCLA a 3-0 lead going into the 4th. The Bruins have scored in every inning so far. They’ve left 4 runners on base so far, but they’re getting runners aboard.

VT is the team that looks tentative tonight. They’ve already committed 2 errors, while Brochard gave up a run in the 2nd on a walk, a HBP, and an error. VT can’t afford to make these kinds of mistakes against a Bruin team that looks locked in tonight.

Rachel is having a great outing. She’s attacking the zone, getting up on the VT hitters early, and setting them up like she normally does. No way was she going to have another night like Thursday.

Also, Bubba is in the starting lineup tonight. She’s playing CF, while Maya moved to RF and Aaliyah leads off again from the DP spot. Kelli plays RF but she’s not batting.

Bruins looking to close out.
Replies to this subthread