All it took was one run for UCLA softball to sweep Ole Miss and close out the Super Regionals.
Saugus High grad Madeline Jelenicki provided that run.
Jelenicki’s first-inning RBI single lifted the Bruins over the Rebels 1-0 on Friday, earning UCLA its third consecutive trip to the Women’s College World Series.
The No. 5 Bruins took home an 8-7 win against the same opponent the day before, a contest in which Jelenicki went 2-for-5 with two RBIs off a sacrifice fly and a single.
They’ll take on Louisiana State University in their next game when the WCWS begins on Thursday.
Jelenicki isn’t the only one having a good time in the NCAA tournament.
Mariah Lopez, another Saugus product, joined the University of Oklahoma in a romp of Auburn on Friday and Saturday.
The No. 10 Sooners took down the Tigers 4-0 on Friday, then completed the sweep on Saturday with a 5-2 win.
Lopez got the starting nod and pitched 2.1 innings in the second game, allowing two hits and recording three strikeouts.
The freshman pitcher helped Oklahoma to its 28th road win a row and its 11th WCWS appearance in program history.
The Sooners’ first opponent in the finals is Baylor.
West Ranch grad Lauren Lindvall and three-seed Oregon Ducks are moving on to the WCWS after sweeping the University of Kentucky.
Lindvall was 1-for-3 in both games. Oregon won 4-0 on Friday, then 6-5 on Saturday.
Next, they’ll play No. 7-seeded Washington.
Louisiana State University freshman and Canyon grad Amanda Doyle bounced back from Friday’s 3-1 loss to Florida State University to upset the fourth-ranked Seminoles 1-0 on Saturday and 6-4 on Sunday.
Doyle was 1-for-4 on Sunday and had 15 putouts collectively on Friday and Saturday.
The Tigers, a No. 13 seed, are playing in their third straight Women’s College World Series.
Jessie Harper, a standout freshman for Arizona this season, saw her first collegiate season end on Sunday after a 6-5 loss to Baylor.
The Wildcats won their first matchup against the Bears 3-2 on Friday before falling 6-4 on Saturday in addition to the final loss.
Harper had at least one RBI in each game.
In the first, she was 1-for-4 with an RBI single, then she followed with by going 1-for-4 with a two-run single on Saturday and was 2-for-4 with an RBI single on Sunday.
She concludes the season with 62 hits and 56 RBIs.
