COLLEGE SOFTBALL : Fernandez Fuels UCLA’s Victory

Lisa Fernandez was three for four and scored the winning run during the ninth inning Friday to lead top-seeded UCLA to a 2-1 victory over 15th-seeded Cal State Fullerton at UCLA’s Sunset Field in a regional playoff game of the NCAA softball tournament.

Fernandez (28-1) also struck out 12 and gave up three hits in nine innings.

With the score 1-1 in the ninth inning, Fernandez began a Bruin rally of three consecutive singles. Jennifer Brundage hit a sacrifice fly to drive her in.

Fullerton took a 1-0 lead during the first inning after shortstop Denise DeWalt, a two-time Big West Conference player of the year, singled. DeWalt advanced to second on a sacrifice by Melissa Hadfield and scored on a single by Rose Garces.

UCLA tied the score during the sixth inning after Fernandez doubled to drive in Kathi Evans.

Although Fernandez said that it was not a typical game for her, it was no surprise that she played such a big part of the Bruins’ victory.

Fernandez is a two-time winner of the Honda Award, recognizing the best player in her sport. Going into the game, she led the nation in batting average, .507, and was second in earned-run average, .026.

“(Fernandez) is just one of those players who comes through your program once in a lifetime,” said Sharron Backus, 18-year UCLA coach. “She just does it all.”

The Bruins (45-3) and the Titans (37-20) will conclude their best-of-three-game series today at Sunset Field, beginning at 1 p.m. The winner advances to the NCAA College World Series at Oklahoma City, Okla., May 27-31.

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In a regional game at Berkeley, California’s Michele Granger threw her riseball past Gia Wilkerson of Cal State Long Beach to set the NCAA single-season softball strikeout record.

The strikeout was Granger’s 470th and she finished the game with 472. Lisa Ishikawa struck out 469 for Northwestern in 1984.

Cal lost to the 49ers, however, 5-2.