BERKELEY – While a six-week road stretch to open the 2017 season seemed like a tough task for California, it fared well coming out of the frame with an impressive 14-3 record.
 
The Golden Bears, however, knew the most competitive portion of their season was to come during conference play with the Pac-12 arguably the most potent league in the country. Notably, six Pac-12 teams currently rank in the top 25 on the USA Today/NFCA Coaches Poll, including four in the top 10.
 
Through a quartet of conference series, Cal (26-13) has posted a 3-8 record, sweeping Stanford, but were swept by ranked league opponents at time of competition No. 3 Oregon, No. 4 Arizona and No. 15 Utah, who all remain in the top 25.
 
Cal continues its conference slate this weekend in a three-game, Friday-Sunday lineup with in-state foe and 13th-ranked UCLA. Games 1 and 2 are slated for a 7 p.m. (PT) start while game 3 to close the series will begin at 5 p.m. (PT). The series will be televised on Pac-12 Network with live stats available on CalBears.com.
 
The Bruins haven proven a formidable opponent more recently for Cal, with the Bears last series win coming in 2012 when they then-ranked No. 14/15 UCLA in Berkeley. Cal trails 29-81-1 in the all-time series; the lone tie occurred a season ago in Berkeley after competition halted due to gloomy weather during the top of the sixth.
 
However, the Bears made the best of the weather last time out providing some in-game entertainment to fans that went viral. A lively bunch, Cal staged a dance contest during the delay that earned national news a season ago.
 
There is more possibility for the Bears, however, as they move toward the end of the regular season. Play has been highlighted by strong displays at the dish with Cal leading the league with 10 triples and Jazmyn Jackson topping the Pac-12 with 15 doubles. Jackson's trio of triples also ties for second in the league.
 
Cal is also on a four-game win streak blanking Sacramento State 2-0 in a midweek jaunt. The win at the home of the Hornets marked the Bears' third shutout over the last four games, with a 7-0 win and an 8-0 run-rule against Santa Clara and Fresno State, respectively, in Berkeley.
 
Notably, Zoe Conley is coming off a decisive pitching effort after nearly notching her first no-hitter against the Hornets on Wednesday when she gave up the only two hits in the bottom of the seventh inning.
 
SCOUTING UCLA
With a 30-12, 5-7 Pac-12 record, the 13th-ranked Bruins have proven difficult to down.
 
However, despite opening the season inside the top-10, reaching sixth in Week 2, UCLA – projected to win the Pac-12- has dropped two conference series. Most recently, the Bruins dropped a pair of contests against Oregon State.
 
Yet, UCLA is not to be overlooked after accumulating 49 home runs so far this season, the second-most in the Pac-12.
 
The Bruins are led at the plate by junior Kylee Perez with a .404 batting average and tied for second in conference with 55 hits. Perez is just behind Cal's Jackson with 12 doubles.
 
Senior Delaney Spaulding (.374) and junior Madeline Jelenicki are also significant contributors as Spaulding leads the squad with 33 runs and Jelenicki adding 42 RBIs, which ranks seventh in the league.
 
Collectively, UCLA is averaging .311 at the dish, while limiting its opponents to .241. They have outscored the competition 208-133.
 
In the circle, the Bruins a threesome each with a winning record across 263.1 innings pitched. At the helm, sits redshirt freshman Rachel Garcia with a 13-7 record and a 2.17 ERA. Garcia trails Cal's Conley by three, with 28 appearances on the mound.
 
Johanna Grauer (9-4) averages 2.61 in the circle, and Selina Ta'amilo (8-0_ rounds things out for the contributing pitching corps with a 3.37 ERA.
 
 
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