LOS ANGELES — Alexis Ramirez went 3 for 4 and drove in five runs and UCLA cruised to the NCAA Super Regionals with a 12-1 dismantling of UC Santa Barbara on Sunday in the Los Angeles Regional.
The No. 9-seeded Bruins (52-10) travel to face eighth-seeded South Carolina next weekend. UCLA is chasing its ninth Women's College World Series berth in the last decade. In going 3-0 in this weekend's regional play, UCLA outscored it opponents 31-2. UCLA started the weekend with a 9-1 win over the Gauchos (36-26) on Friday.
Ramirez started the hit parade driving in the game's first two runs. UCLA scored four runs in the first and second innings, three in the fourth and the game was mercy ruled after the Gauchos came up empty in the bottom of the fifth.
Jessica Clements, Megan Grant and Jordan Woolery all homered for UCLA. Clements and Grant each drove in a pair of runs.
Taylor Tinsley moved her season record to 14-4 pitching four innings, surrendering just three hits and one unearned run. She struck out six and didn't give up a walk.
Malaya Johnson (24-12) took the loss for UC Santa Barbara giving up six hits and six earned runs in an inning of work.
Ainsley Waddell singled to center field to score Alexa Sams in the bottom of the second for the Gauchos' run.
___
