LOS ANGELES — UCLA softball overcame early struggles to defeat UC Santa Barbara 9–1 in the NCAA Los Angeles Regional opener Friday.
The Bruins fell behind 1–0 in the second inning but rallied in the fourth when sophomore Kaitlyn Terry hit a go-ahead, three-run home run. In the sixth inning, graduate student Jessica Clements followed suit with a three-run homer, giving UCLA a 6–1 lead. Junior Jordan Woolery added an RBI single, and junior Megan Grant capped the inning with a two-run home run.
UCLA’s offense was highlighted by three home runs – one each from Terry, Clements and Grant – accounting for eight of the team’s nine runs. The Bruins amassed 10 hits in total, demonstrating their offensive depth.
Junior Taylor Tinsley started the game, allowing one run on three hits over four innings, striking out one and walking one. Terry pitched two scoreless innings in relief, giving up just one hit and striking out one, securing the win.
The game concluded after six innings due to the NCAA’s run-rule, which ends a game when a team leads by eight or more runs after five innings.
With this win, UCLA is set to face San Diego State in the next round of the regional on Saturday.
