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UCLA Softball: The 3-pitcher rotation will help the Bruins in the WCWS

By Mike Regalado

BOULDER, CO - SEPTEMBER 29: The Bruins flag flies as the UCLA Bruins score a touchdown against the Colorado Buffaloes at Folsom Field on September 29, 2012 in Boulder, Colorado. UCLA defeated Colorado 42-14. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
BOULDER, CO - SEPTEMBER 29: The Bruins flag flies as the UCLA Bruins score a touchdown against the Colorado Buffaloes at Folsom Field on September 29, 2012 in Boulder, Colorado. UCLA defeated Colorado 42-14. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) /
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The UCLA softball team had been blessed with a superior pitching rotation which will help them in the Women’s College World Series and avoid a meltdown like last season.

To have the best player in the nation on your team helps, but sometimes the collective efforts of an opponent can overcome the individual accomplishments of one person. That is what the UCLA softball team experienced last year and what they will avoid this year in the Women’s College World Series.

RELATED: UCLA Softball is in the Women’s College World Series

One year ago, the Bruins were in the same position as they are today. UCLA was able to dominate the Los Angeles Regional. They took out their opponent (Arizona) in only two games in the Super Regional and are now into the WCWS.

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The no. 3 Bruins started the 2018 Women’s College World Series with two wins, but they were hard fought wins. In their first game, UCLA took out no. 6 Florida State 7-4 behind a 15 strikeout performance by their ace, Rachel Garcia. In their next game, Garcia used a 12 strikeout performance to down no. 4 Florida.

Unfortunately, the National Player of the Year did not have enough juice to help the Bruins advance to the last part of the WCWS. In their third game, head coach Kelly Inouye-Perez felt it was best to start the girl with the golden arm, and even though she had 10 strikeouts and kept the Seminoles scoreless through five innings, FSU scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth, which overtook the Bruins’ lone run and eventually got the 3-1 win.

It was a bold strategy by Inouye-Perez, and if the Bruins had avoided giving up three runs in that final inning, it would have justified using Garcia in three straight games. Unfortunately, it backfired, and the Bruins could not get the knockout blow. If UCLA had won that game, they would have advanced to the final round of the WCWS. Instead, they were set up for a final battle with Florida State.

Because of the lack of depth, UCLA had to go with Garcia to start the fourth game. That is when things fell apart. In the top of the second inning, Garcia gave up two runs and was replaced with Selina Ta’amilo. Unfortunately, she also gave up two runs and was replaced by Holly Azevedo.

At that point, Florida State set the tone and everyone could feel the momentum change. That was solidified when the Seminoles combined for eight runs in the fourth and fifth innings. Though the Bruins were able to score four runs in three of those final innings (adding to their two second-inning runs), it was nowhere near enough as FSU got the 12-6 win.

That meltdown will not happen this year.

UCLA picked up some insurance in the offseason and with some key player development, now have a solid three-pitcher rotation to help them get through the WCWS. Once again, UCLA has the best player in the nation (Garcia recently won the USA National Player of the Year Award, again) who has the third-best ERA in the country (1.01) and comes in with a 24-1 record. Azevedo has made significant improvements this year and boasts a 2.07 ERA and a record of 11-1.

MORE: Rachel Garcia is the USA Player of the Year, Again

The Bruins also get to use the talents of freshman Megan Faraimo who has been phenomenal this year. Like her teammate, she has one of the best ERAs in the nation (1.42, 19th) and produced a record of 16-4. Combined, the Bruins have the second-best team ERA in the country with 1.39.

With these three pitchers at Inouye-Perez’s disposal, the Bruins will be a lot more prepared for the WCWS. Not only will UCLA put up three deadly pitchers against their opponents this weekend, but exhaustion should not be a problem with all of this backup. And even if the coach needs to pull a pitcher, she has two in reserve who will be fresh enough to take on the next wave of batters.

So for those of you that remember last season, know that that result won’t happen again. This year, the Bruins are on a mission.