LOS ANGELES – In their first-ever NCAA Division I Regional softball game, the Roadrunners fell to No. 12/14 UCLA by a score of 7-0. Senior Amber Mills pitched four scoreless innings to open the game for CSU Bakersfield, but UCLA's offense hit three home runs including a sixth-inning grand slam to earn the victory.

“I think that Amber threw a fantastic game and my hat is off to [Johanna] Grauer,” said Crissy Buck-Ziegler, CSUB's Head Coach. “UCLA is a tough team. There is a reason why they are a 12-time National Champion. I'm proud of our players and proud of how we played. I thought we played strong pitch to pitch and that's all you are asking for in the postseason.”

The 'Runners and Bruins went head-to-head in the first three innings of the game. Both starters, Amber Mills and UCLA's Grauer, retired the first eight batters of each lineup. CSUB's batters took their hacks, but Grauer's defense backed her up to retire the side in three straight innings and keep the game scoreless.

In the bottom of the third, UCLA's Zoe Shaw drew a two-out walk to flip the lineup and give the game its first baserunner. Centerfielder Allexis Bennett, who came into the game batting a Pac-12 best .437, grounded out to Mills to end the inning as the 'Runners continued to hang with one of the nation's top teams.

After second baseman Adrianna Cardoza flashed the glove with a nice snag of a line drive, Delaney Spaulding blooped a one-out single to right field. Mills and Co. were unfased by the first base hit of the game as CSUB's starting right hander fielded the next batter's comebacker and started a 1-4-3 double play. The quick flip gave CSUB its 21st double play of the season, a statistic in which the 'Runners rank in the Top 50 of all NCAA Division I teams.

On the first pitch of the bottom of the fifth, catcher Madeline Jelenicki hit her 13th home run of the season. UCLA went ahead 1-0 and continued pressuring the 'Runners. With one runner on, Paige Halstead hit a line-drive home run just over the right field wall to put UCLA up 3-0. Mills got the final two Bruins out with lazy fly balls, but the damage was done.

Grauer continued to pitch her way through the 'Runner order and remained perfect through six complete innings. The Bruin offense put a pair of runners on base with no outs and forced Mills out of the circle in favor of senior Sydney Raeber. The closer walked the first batter she faced in the bottom of the sixth before Gabrielle Maurice hit a grand slam. UCLA took a 7-0 lead, but freshman Alyssa Stockton came in and got the 'Runners out of the inning.

Down to the final out, Raeber earned a walk to break up Grauer's bid at a perfect game. UCLA's sophomore closed out the game on the next batter, sealing a brilliantly pitched no-hitter. Maurice, the Bruins' starting left fielder, went 2-for-3 with four RBI thanks to her grand slam.

Mills pitched four strong innings before running into trouble in the fifth. The righty finished the game with 5.0 innings, five hits, six runs, and four walks. Stockton pitched one complete inning, faced four batter, walked one, and retired the other three Bruins.

With the loss, CSUB (16-33) will face Fresno State (41-11-1) in an elimination game on Saturday. First pitch of that contest is set for 3 p.m. at Easton Stadium.

~GoRunners.com~