UCLA softball recovers from Nebraska series with win over Hawaii

No. 10 UCLA softball got back in the win column with a 9-5 takedown of Hawaii at Easton Stadium in Los Angeles on Thursday. The Bruins dropped two games in their Big Ten series against No.

8 Nebraska over the weekend and the thrashing saw them sink downward in the NFCA/GoRout Division I Top 25 Softball Coaches Poll . Ahead of their next Big Ten Conference series, UCLA got back to their winning way led by their two-headed pitching crew of sophomore Brynne Nally and redshirt junior Sydney Somerndike. The duo held the Rainbow Warriors' to five hits, eight balls and five runs while registering three strikeouts.

First run in the first Nally and the Bruins were able to hold off too much of an offensive onslaught by the Rainbow Warriors and limiting the damage to one run after Hawaii had the bases loaded in the top of the first. Savviness from sophomore outfielder Rylee Slimp turned a hit by a pitch, a wild pitch and a grounded out by a fellow Bruin into a score to keep the game tied headed into the second. Blunders and bunts The Bruins fell apart in the second as blunders and bunts allowed multiple Hawaii batters to get on base and push their lead up to two runs.

Two pop-up outs and a fly out ended UCLA's chance at keeping the game tied entering the third. Finding rhythm at bat UCLA switched to Somerndike on the mound following two walks and two outs by Nally. The pair prevented Hawaii from scoring in the top of the third and the Bruins took advantage with a single and a double helping the home team gain the lead with three runs to end the inning.