OKLAHOMA CITY — Rachel Garcia threw a five-hitter and struck out 11 as UCLA beat Florida State 4-0 on Thursday night in the Women’s College World Series opener for both teams.
Garcia, a U.S. Olympian and two-time USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year, threw 80 of her 112 pitches for strikes.
Maya Brady hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth to provide insurance runs for the second-seeded Bruins (47-5), who will play No. 3 Alabama in a winners bracket game on Friday.
Florida State pitcher Kathryn Sandercock allowed one run through five innings before getting into trouble in the sixth. Danielle Watson replaced her, and Brady — the first batter Watson faced — hit one over the fence in center field.
The game matched the past two national champions. Florida State won in 2018, and UCLA in 2019.
Florida State (44-11-1) will play Arizona in an elimination game on Saturday.
In the fifth, UCLA’s Kinsley Washington singled and advanced to second on a throwing error. Anna Vines singled and knocked Washington in for the game’s first run.
In the sixth, Delanie Wisz had an RBI double before Brady homered.
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