UCLA Routs Long Beach, 10-4

Crissy Buck’s first home run of the season sparked an 11-hit attack and UCLA eliminated Long Beach State, 10-4, in the second round of an NCAA softball regional Friday at UCLA’s Easton Stadium.

The defending national champion Bruins (41-11-1) advanced to a winner’s bracket game today against Florida State, a 4-1 winner over Iowa, in the double-elimination tournament.

UCLA strung together four hits and scored three runs in the top of the second inning. Courtney Dale had a run-scoring double, Amanda Freed an RBI single and Julie Adams a bases-loaded walk.

The 49ers (39-23) answered in the bottom of the inning with a two-run double by Nicole Spencer. But Buck responded with the third home run of her career, a two-run shot off the scoreboard in left field in the third against losing pitcher Kristi Fox (24-10).

“This was the first time I hit a home run here, and it felt great,” Buck said. “I knew as soon as it came off the bat that it was gone.”

Bruin starting pitcher Courtney Dale, who is playing with a torn labrum in her right shoulder, lasted 3 2/3 innings. She gave up four runs, two earned, before leaving in the fourth after walking Erin Tucker to bring in a run.

Freed came in from center field to pitch and struck out designated player Elizabeth Sanches to preserve a 5-4 lead.

UCLA added five runs on five hits in the sixth.

In an elimination game, Canisius defeated Bethune-Cookman, 3-2, on a 10th-inning single by Jacqueline Fusco.

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California defeated Cal State Fullerton, 3-2, to move into the driver’s seat as the only unbeaten team in the NCAA regional at Fresno State.

The Golden Bears (47-22) held off a late rush by the Titans, who closed the gap to one run in the sixth inning on a two-run homer by Yasmin Mossadeghi.

Fullerton (45-14) and Fresno State (52-13) meet in an elimination game today at 2:30 p.m.

The winner will meet Cal at 7:30 tonight.

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Fourth-ranked Oklahoma scored two runs in the fourth inning and eliminated Cal State Northridge, 2-1, at Norman, Okla. Northridge (26-26-1) scored in the second inning on a RBI single by Elizabeth Pierce but Christy Ring’s two-run single against Summer Richardson put the Sooners ahead to stay.