For complete information on the 2001 Women's College World Series, click here. UCLA COACH SUE ENQUIST on Claire Sua's two-run single: "Claire is in that five-spot for a reason and that five-hole has to come through." UCLA CATCHER STACEY NUVEMAN when asked if anyone in the series would pitch to her: "I hope so." (Nuveman was intentionally walked twice against Iowa.) IOWA COACH GAYLE BLEVINS: "I thought it was a really good ballgame and both had opportunities. Kristi Hanks threw a great ballgame and gave us a good opportunity to win." IOWA SECOND BASEMAN CHRISTINA SCHMALTZ on the team's dances during the game: "It's always time to dance for us." STANFORD COACH JOHN RITTMAN on LSU pitcher Britni Sneed: "Sneed was really tough. It helped us to have faced her earlier in the year (a 2-0 Stanford win in the NFCA Leadoff Classic on Feb. 23). We hit two solo homers against her but we also had 13 strikeouts. She has a good curve and a nice change and she tries to get you to swing at her riseball." LSU COACH YVETTE GIROUARD on her team's play vs. Stanford: "I give credit to Stanford but I thought that we were off a little tonight. it's tough to out-hit your opponent and lose, but you have to put some hits together and we didn't do that. Our kids played hard and that's all you can ask. I love this team and there's not a question in my mind that we're gonna win on Saturday." OKLAHOMA COACH PATTY GASSO: "No one's better in the clutch than Jennifer Stewart. She might not get 15 strikeouts, but she'll get the easy pop-up or ground out." OKLAHOMA PITCHER JENNIFER STEWART: "I don't want to get 15 strikeouts. I love watching the defense make plays. It's a lot more exciting." MICHIGAN COACH CAROL HUTCHINS: "Oklahoma took advantage of the few opportunities we gave them, and you have to give them credit." MICHIGAN COACH CAROL HUTCHINS when asked what Michigan needs to do to stay in the tournament: "Win." ARIZONA COACH MIKE CANDREA: "Today we didn't swing bats as well as we're capable of, but Jennie (Finch) threw an excellent game and gave us a chance to win. You don't want to live and die on the long ball. People say the short game is dead, but I guarantee you that you're going to need some base hits to make things happen in a game like this." CALIFORNIA COACH DIANE NINEMIRE: "It was two great teams and two great pitchers battling today. Unfortunately, we came out on the short end, but I was proud of my team and the way they battled. I love the way they came back in the seventh and I hope that 'never say die' attitude will carry over through the rest of the tournament." CAL PITCHER JOCELYN FOREST on facing Arizona's potent batting order: "The Arizona batters one through nine are phenomenal. They're all capable of being number four hitters on any team. You really have to focus on every one of them." BRUIN PITCHING DOMINANT IN POSTSEASON: In five postseason games this season, including Thursday's 2-0 victory over Iowa, UCLA has outscored its five opponents 33-1. Bruin pitching has thrown three one-hitters during the postseason and has allowed only 10 hits overall. The four hits by Iowa was the most allowed by UCLA in the postseason. HOMETOWN CROWD: With Oklahoma playing in the first session, a crowd of 5,072 -- most wearing Sooner colors -- attended session No. 1 at the WCWS. PITCHERS DOMINATE EARLY: Five of Thursday's eight starting pitchers took no-hitters at least into the fourth inning, and two pitchers went even further. Oklahoma's Jennifer Stewart -- last year's WCWS Most Outstanding Player -- held Michigan hitless until the fifth inning, while California's Jocelyn Forest pitched five no-hit innings against Arizona. Marie Barda (Michigan), Amanda Freed (UCLA) and Kristi Hanks (Iowa) each took no-hitters into the fourth inning, while Jennie Finch (Arizona) held California to one hit through five innings. Only LSU and Stanford managed first-inning base hits. GUARANTEED FIRST WIN: A first-time Women's College World Series participant was guaranteed a victory in its first ever WCWS game, as this year's two first-timers, LSU and Stanford, squared off against each other. Stanford defeated LSU 2-1 in eight innings.
Claire Sua's sixth-inning bases-loaded two-run single broke a scoreless tie and Amanda Freed tossed a four-hit shutout as UCLA defeated Iowa 2-0 in the final game of Day One at the Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City, Okla. Freed retired the side in order in each of the first three innings before Kristin Johnson led off the top of the fourth with a single. Johnson had two of Iowa's three hits. Iowa pitcher Kristi Hanks threw 4.2 innings of no-hit ball and held UCLA to two hits before the Bruins struck in the sixth. Stephanie Ramos doubled to left with one out and Tairia Mims followed with a single to right, putting runners on first and third. Stacey Nuveman was intentionally walked for the second time of the game, bringing Sua up with the bases loaded. Iowa had its infield deep, playing for the double play, but Sua, who walked and struck out in her two previous plate appearances, hit a sharp grounder out of the reach of Iowa second baseman Christina Schmaltz to bring in the two runs. UCLA advances to play Pac-10 rival Stanford Friday at 8:30 p.m. Iowa takes on LSU Saturday at 1:30 p.m. in an elimination game.
Sarah Beeson clubbed her 12th home run of the season and Jessica Mendoza doubled in the eventual game-winner in the top of the eighthto lead Stanford to a 2-1, eight-inning win over LSU in a game that marked the first Women's College World Series appearance for both teams. Beeson's homer gave the Cardinal a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth but LSU came back with a daring play to tie the game in the bottom of the inning. April Janzen led off with an infield single and was sacrificed to second by Stephanie Hastings. Christy Connor then hit a sacrifice fly that was deep enough to score Janzen from second.
Jennifer Stewart pitched a three-hitter and Jennifer Stump's bases-loaded sacrifice fly in the top of the fourth broke a scoreless tie as defending national champion Oklahoma defeated Michigan 2-0 in the first round of the Women's College World Series. Before a predominantly Sooner crowd of more than 5,000, Stewart and Michigan pitcher Marie Barda locked in a pitcher's duel. Barda retired the first 10 batters she faced before Christy Ring walked and Lisa Carey singled with one out in the fourth. After Ashli Barrett was intentionally walked to load the bases, Stump lined a pitch to left field to bring Ring in with the game's first run. Stewart retired 14 of the first 15 batters she faced and held Michigan hitless until allowing a two-out double to Marissa Young in the fifth inning. Young had two of Michigan's three hits. Ring also scored Oklahoma's second run on Barrett's sixth-inning RBI-single. Oklahoma advances to play Arizona Friday at 6 p.m. Michigan takes on California Saturday at 11 a.m. in an elimination game.
Toni Mascarenas' three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth boosted No. 1 seed Arizona to a 3-2 win over California in the opening game of the 2001 Women's College World Series. The game was scoreless and Arizona was hitless after 5 1/2 innings but UA's Erika Hanson broke up Jocelyn Forest's no-hitter with a leadoff single in the sixth. With one out, Nicole Giordano singled to advance Hanson to second. Mascarenas' three-run homer followed. California made it a game in the top of the ninth when Candace Harper led off with a single and Veronica Nelson slammed a two-run homer. Eryn Manahan followed with a walk but Cal could advance her no further. Arizona's next game will be tomorrow (Friday) at 6 p.m. CDT against the winner of this afternoon's Oklahoma-Michigan game. Next up for Califrnia will be the loser of the Oklahoma-Michigan game at 11 a.m. Saturday.
