Pac-10 Softball: No. 14 UCLA Bombs No. 10 Oregon, 13-3

UCLA was led by Kaila Shull’s 3-for-4, three RBI performance.

Senior Ann Marie Topps broke Oregon's single-season home run record hitting her 17th of the year. Photo: goducks.com

EUGENE - Oregon senior Ann Marie Topps hit her single-season record-breaking 17th home run of the year, but it couldn’t prevent 14th-ranked UCLA from recording a 13-3 win over No. 10 Oregon on Saturday afternoon at Howe Field.

The Ducks, now on a two-game losing streak, fall to 37-7 on the year and 3-4 in the Pac-10 Conference. The Bruins, improve to 3-4 in the Pac-10 and 27-11 overall.

It was the combination of UCLA’s 15 hits on the day as well Anjelica Selden’s performance in the circle.

The junior right-hander went all seven innings, and limited the Ducks’ lineup to three runs on three hits, with two hits coming as home runs.

In addition to Topps, Oregon freshman rightfielder Neena Bryant hit her seventh home run of the season, a solo shot in the bottom of the second.

Topps’s two-run bomb was sent over the left field wall and also scored Jenn Salling, who led off the fourth by drawing a walk.

Topps’s 17th homer broke Oregon’s single-season record (16) set in 2003 by Andrea Vidlund. Topps had been one home run away from breaking the record since Sun., April 1st, when she hit No. 16 against Stanford.

UCLA was led by Kaila Shull’s 3-for-4, three RBI performance, while Krista Colburn and Tara Henry also totaled three hits apiece, and Jodie Legaspie added a home run.

It was just the second time all year Oregon had given up double-digit runs to an opponent.

Oregon battled from behind the entire game after starter Melissa Rice gave up three runs in the first before being relieved by junior Alicia Cook.

Colburn singled down the first base line to lead off the game, followed by two consecutive walks.

Rice looked like she might get out of the jam after striking out Legaspi, but she then walked in a run and surrendered a two-run single off the right field wall to Shull, giving the Bruins the early 3-0 edge.

Cook then came on to retire Danielle Peterson and Julie Burney to limit further damage and escape the inning.

Cook ran into some trouble of her own in the second when Henry singled to lead off the inning, stole second and eventually scored on Colburn’s single up the middle.

Colburn then scored on Lisa Dodd’s triple off the right field wall to give UCLA a 5-0 lead after two.

After Topps’s two-run homer in the fourth which made the score 5-3, the Bruins added another two runs in the fifth.

With runners on first and second, Megan Langenfeld belted a line drive down the third base line that Gail got a glove to, but her diving stop deflected the ball toward Oregon’s dugout.

As Dodd broke from second and tried to score, Gail was able to recover and make the throw to catcher Amie Morris, but Dodd was called safe in a play at the plate.

Shull’s single up the middle then scored Legaspi for the second run of the inning, before Cook retired the next three batters.

Rice relieved Cook in the sixth and took the loss after allowing seven runs on six hits and four walks in 1.2 innings of work.

Cook pitched 5.1 innings, allowing six runs on nine hits.

UCLA added six runs in the final two innings of the game.

The Bruins return to Howe Field tomorrow with a 1:00 PM start.

Adding comments to these stories has been disabled. View the current sports stories Salem-News Sports