The United States Olympic Softball Team’s exhibition against No. 2 UCLA on Sunday started like a typical, elite-level game.

The Bruins’ Keira Goerl and Team USA’s Lisa Fernandez – who is a former Bruin – were taking turns shutting down the opposing hitters, waiting for the other team to make a mistake.

Goerl, who tried out for the Olympic team but did not make the final cut, overcame some early jitters and looked ready to make a statement.

But UCLA’s hopes crumbled into the infield dirt during a mistake-filled third inning, as Team USA scored eight runs and cruised to an 11-0 mercy rule victory.

“You’ve got to be able to pick the ball up and throw it,” UCLA coach Sue Enquist said. “I don’t want to minimize their talent, but the complexion of the game changes when you lie down and you don’t execute defensively. The Olympic team is too good. They sniff that out and they annihilate you.”

The inning started with a pair of infield singles by Team USA, bringing up UCLA alumna Natasha Watley. She laid down a sacrifice bunt, the typical play for a low-scoring game.

But Goerl made an errant throw to Lisa Dodd, who was covering first base. Dodd stretched out to grab the throw, Watley ran through her arm, Dodd dropped the ball, everyone was safe, a run scored, and the rout was on.

Four of the next five runners reached base, and right fielder Kelly Kretchman capped the inning with a grand slam to the gap in left field.

“I think a lot of people are going to look at this game and go, ‘man, they lit up (Goerl), grand slam,’” said catcher Emily Zaplatosch. “I don’t really think she got lit up. I think that wouldn’t have happened if the short game didn’t get us.”

“We still feel that we could have beat them if we would have put out defensively,” Zaplatosch added.

Goerl gave up eight runs in the inning, underscoring UCLA's mistakes and how effective the Olympic team was in exploiting them.

“When you can cause people to make quick decisions, anything can happen,” Team USA coach Mike Candrea said.

He said that putting the team together and having to make decisions about players like Goerl – coming off a season during which she was named College World Series MVP – was the hardest thing he has had to do as a coach.

“We have a very large pool (of players) that are able to represent this country for a long time at a very high level,” Candrea said. “What it comes down to is you’re splitting hairs.”

Goerl has been dominant against collegiate competition this season. She is 15-0 this season and has only allowed six earned runs, but she was charged with 10 earned runs on Sunday.

The Bruins were equally outmatched when they were batting as Lisa Fernandez, the winning pitcher in the gold medal game of the 1996 and 2000 Olympics, showing why she is considered the best softball player in the world.

Four the first four innings she was untouchable, confusing the Bruins with her off-speed pitches. She gave up only one hit, an infield single to Zaplatosch in the fifth inning.

“It was good that we were able to get one,” Zaplatosch said. “I didn’t even hit it that well. I kind of got lucky, I’ll have to admit, but she’s the best pitcher in the country.”

Yet the game was difficult emotionally for Fernandez, who played at UCLA from 1990 to 1993 and is currently a volunteer assistant coach for UCLA.

“It’s a lose-lose,” Fernandez said. “Our team did great but there’s a part of me that wanted to see some good things over in the other dugout, but when you step on the field its business. There’s a lot of time invested, not only myself into them but them into myself.”

Zaplatosch said that once the game started, it was fun to face Fernandez and try to get a hit off her.

For Enquist, it was a chance to talk about how much Fernandez means to the program, as a player, an ambassador, a role-model and a coach.

“She is one of the finest young coaches this game has,” Enquist said. “We focus so much on her as a player. She single-handedly is a huge reason why our pitchers have developed like they have.”

The UCLA-Team USA connections run deep. Five former Bruins – Tairia Flowers (formerly Tairia Mims), Amanda Freed, Stacey Nuveman, Fernandez and Watley – are members of the 2004 Olympic team. Flowers, Fernandez, Freed and Watley all started for Team USA, and Nuveman pinch hit in the fifth inning.

“Today was awesome,” Fernandez said. “It was almost like an alumni game. To think what kind of athletes UCLA produces and where they go and in 2008 you’re going to see a few more in Keira Goerl and Lisa Dodd and Jodie Legaspi and Emily Zaplatosch. You can go down the line, Caitlin Benyi, it’s amazing and that’s what’s so nice, to have that kind of tradition.”

But for now, the game was a disappointment. While the Bruins were not expected to win, Enquist wanted her team to make a better showing.

Enquist was particularly critical of her team’s defense, which has been its weakness all season long. She said the team’s mistakes were not just a case of the jitters due to facing the Olympic team.

“We do that Monday through Friday and we are inconsistent,” Enquist said. “Don’t say it’s just jitters and I’m going to be OK next time. Oh no you won’t.”

Zaplatosch said this is what she will take away from this game, as a way of preparing for the Pac-10 season. The Bruins begin conference play this weekend, playing one game at Arizona State before playing two games against top-ranked Arizona.

The Bruins will need to improve defensively as they face better pitching in conference games and adjust to the lower scores.

“Defense is going to be the key for us not just against Arizona but throughout the Pac-10,” Zaplatosch said. “Our bats will come around. We know that if we’re strong on defense we can hang against anybody.”