UCLA hit four home runs in the first five innings and cruised to a 7-1 win over the Arizona Wildcats in Thursday's NCAA Super Regionals opener in Los Angeles.Β
The Bruins also out-hit the UA, 12-3, in cruising to their fourth straight victory over the Wildcats this year; they swept in Tucson last month.
The UA, which advanced to the Super Regionals by sweeping their Regional in Tucson last week, is now one loss away from elimination.Β
The third-seeded Bruins wasted little time against Arizona ace Taylor McQuillin. Kylie Perez led off the bottom of the first with a single and scored on a one-out double by Aaliyah Jordan, giving the Bruins a 1-0 lead.Β
UCLA made it 2-0 in the second, when Madeline Jelenecki greeted McQuillin with a leadoff home run, her first of two on Thursday. Perez led off the third with a homer, and both Rachel Garcia and Jelenecki homered as part of a four-run fifth.Β
The homers chased McQuillin, who allowed seven runs on 10 hits in four-plus innings. She struck out six and walked two. Alyssa Denham pitched two scoreless innings in relief.Β
The teams will play again Friday at 6 p.m. in a game that will be televised on ESPN. Game 3, if necessary, will be played Saturday at 4 p.m.
