UCLA softball beats South Carolina, Megan Grant extends record
The No. 7 UCLA softball team didn’t need to dip into its Bruin Magic bag to rally for a victory like it did Friday night against California Baptist.
The Bruins (49-8) earned a 7-2 win over South Carolina (31-27) in their NCAA regional game at UCLA’s Easton Stadium on Saturday, moving within one win of the regional victory.
South Carolina scored the game’s first run in the second inning, with right fielder Jamie MacKay hitting a home run off Taylor Tinsley.
The veteran Bruins pitcher responded by striking out the Gamecocks’ Tate Davis and Natalie Heath to close out the inning.
After allowing eight runs in a single inning before UCLA rallied for a 12-11 victory on Friday, Tinsley bounced back with a strong performance against the Gamecocks on Saturday. She allowed two runs on seven hits over seven innings, striking out six and walking one.
“In the postseason, one of the most important things you can do is have a short-term memory,” UCLA coach Kelly Inouye-Perez said. “I’m proud of the way Taylor came out and played a good game.”
The UCLA bats backed Tinsley up, with Bri Alejandre hitting a two-run homer to give the Bruins a 2-1 lead in the second inning.
Soo-Jin Berry hit a double that scored two runs in the same inning, extending UCLA’s lead to 4-1. Then, right fielder Megan Grant, who was supported by her former NCAA national basketball champion teammates Kiki Rice and Amanda Muse in the crowd, hit a two-run homer for a 6-1 lead.
It was Grant’s 39th home run, extending his hold on the NCAA single-season home record. Grant broke the record in the Big Ten title game and is being chased by Oklahoma freshman Kendall Wells, who has hit 37 home runs so far this season.
Jin-Berry was watching the Bruins celebrate their appearance in the Women’s College World Series while playing for Iowa last season. The transfer said she is grateful to have the chance to play for UCLA this season.
“It’s awesome to get a glimpse of what it means to be great. The standard that the coaches have for us and the standard that we have for each other, there’s nothing like it,” Jin-Berry said.
Tinsley allowed his second homer of the afternoon in the third inning to make it 5-2.
The hero of Friday’s victory, shortstop Aleena Garcia, joined the scoring streak with a homer in the fifth, giving the Bruins a 7-2 lead that Tinsley and the UCLA defense protected the rest of the way.
UCLA will play the winner of Cal State Fullerton vs. California Baptist on Sunday at 4:30 p.m. for a spot in an NCAA super regional that the Bruins would host if they advance.
