Goerl pitches to Cal

OKLAHOMA CITY — For the first time all season, UCLA’s Keira Goerl couldn’t put the rest of the Bruins on her back.

After retiring Cal’s Haley Woods in the bottom of the ninth to clinch the national title, Goerl’s teammates mobbed her, hugged her, and jumped on her as she fell to the ground in a joyous dog pile.

The junior pitcher turned in one of the most amazing performances in collegiate softball history over the weekend at the Women’s College World Series, throwing 47 nearly flawless innings.

Her no-hitter in the championship game and 0.55 ERA earned her the Most Outstanding Player award at the WCWS.

“We have an individual in the circle that thrives on strapping this team on her back,” UCLA coach Sue Enquist said. “It says something about her stamina, guts, talent and confidence.”

What everybody will remember is her nine-inning no-hitter championship game performance – the first no-hitter to be ever thrown in the national title game.

Goerl mixed her pitches brilliantly in throwing a 123-pitch masterpiece against the Bears. Her intensity carried her arm through a harrowing weekend in which she threw nearly 700 pitches, nearly all of them with the Bruins on the brink of elimination.

“Honestly, I believe Keira gets stronger as the games go on,” senior designated player Toria Auelua said. “The more innings she pitches, the better she gets. She just has to find her groove.”

Goerl was typically humble about her accomplishment, deflecting praise to her teammates.

“I think it is pretty amazing, but it wasn’t about me,” Goerl said. “It was about the defense behind me that picked me up a number of times.”

Goerl had great control all day, allowing only four walks, three of them intentionally, to Cal first baseman Veronica Nelson and letting her defense make up for their many mistakes in Thursday’s 7-3 loss to Cal.

Goerl finished the season with a 40-7 record, shattering UCLA single-season records in appearances, innings pitched, and wins. Her win on Sunday night against the Texas Longhorns gave her 98 career wins, an UCLA all-time high. “She is amazing. I really truly believe she was playing for us and not for herself,” senior shortstop Natasha Watley said. “I wouldn’t want anyone else in the circle but her.”