UW loses to No. 1 UCLA 5-3

With six innings in the books Wednesday at Easton Stadium in Los Angeles, the eighth-ranked Washington softball team found itself with a 3-0 advantage over No. 1 UCLA. Then fate dealt the Huskies a cruel blow.

Washington sophomore Tia Bollinger had held the Bruins to four hits through five innings of play before UCLA (9-3 Pac-10, 41-6 overall) opened the sixth inning with two consecutive singles, prompting a pitching change.

Freshman Leslie Scott came in with no outs and hit Tairia Mims with her first pitch of the afternoon. That loaded the bases for Stacey Nuveman, the Bruins' home run leader, and the country's top hitter with a .542 average.

Forced to pitch to Nuveman, Scott saw her pitch lined into centerfield for a RBI-single that cut the Huskies' lead to 3-1.

Washington (6-6, 37-14) went to the bullpen again for freshman Ashley Boek, who fanned Stephanie Ramos for the first out of the inning. Boek didn't have much time to celebrate though, as designated player Claire Sua sent a 1-1 pitch over the right-center field fence for a grand slam and a 5-3 lead.

"We came out and didn't expect to lose at all," Bollinger said. "We had them until the bottom of the sixth, and at no point did we think we couldn't beat them."

The Huskies cracked things open in the fifth when sophomore Megan Owen drew a leadoff walk and senior Becky Simpson laced a one-out single to left field. Sophomore Rita Roach grounded out to advance the runners to second and third before UCLA pitcher Keira Goerl issued an intentional walk to Jaime Clark, the Huskies' leading hitter.

The Bruins' choice backfired when freshman Kristen Rivera drilled her second double of the game down the left field line to give the Huskies a 2-0 lead.

Washington added a third run in the sixth when freshman Kathy Fiske put Goerl's first pitch of the inning over the right-center field fence for her seventh homer of the season.

The loss marks the second in three games to the Bruins, but the Huskies remain confident that they'll have another shot at them.

"I think it's frustrating to be that close and to have them beat, and then to give it away, but in reality this right now doesn't mean much," Bollinger said. "I mean, we'll see them again hopefully in the (College World) Series, and that's when winning or losing will really count.

The Huskies have little time to dwell on this loss, as they play their next six games on the road, starting with No. 7 Stanford Friday.