LOS ANGELES — A four-run second inning powered by three seniors propelled the UCLA softball team to a 10-2, five-inning victory over Arizona in the opener of a three-game series on Friday evening at Easton Stadium.
Maya Brady threaded a two-run single down the right side to score Seneca Curo and Thessa Malau’ulu, then Sharlize Polacios’ sacrifice fly to right field brought in Janelle Meoño. Jadelyn Allchin’s RBI single sent Brady home and gave the Bruins a 5-0 advantage.
“What’s really cool about this team is if it’s not you, it’s the person behind you,” Brady said, “and thankfully for us, we have a lot of seniors back to back to back. So I think it’s just really cool to see everybody allow for their hard work to play out in the field.”
Taylor Tinsley picked up the win in the circle and improved to 14-8. The sophomore gave up four hits while striking out four hitters and walking one in four innings of work.
Game 2 between UCLA (29-9 overall, 13-3 Pac-12) and Arizona (31-14-1, 12-10) is slated for Saturday at 5 p.m. and the third game, which will feature Senior Day celebrations, is Sunday at 2 p.m.
Brady (2 for 4, three RBIs) hit her 12th home run of the season over the left field wall and beyond the reach of Arizona outfielder Dakota Kennedy in the bottom of the first inning.
Brady and her classmates’ efforts had UCLA en route to a shutout until the Wildcats scored two runs in the third inning. Pac-12 Freshman of the Week Regan Shockey reached first on an error with the bases loaded when the ball bobbled out of Malau’ulu’s glove. Tayler Biehl crossed home plate for the unearned run.
Allie Skaggs later reached first on a fielder’s choice and although Brady got a running Carlie Scupin out at second base, UCLA couldn’t turn the double play in time and Kaiah Altmeyer tacked on another unearned run.
Blaise Biringer lined out to Malau’ulu at third to end the inning.
Leadoff hitter Megan Grant (1 for 3, one RBI) notched her fourth home run of the season in a huge way in the fourth inning when she sent the ball flying roughly 200 feet into the branches of the towering trees beyond right field.
UCLA players joked after the game that the ball was now in Bel Air. Head coach Kelly Inouye-Perez said freshmen usually do a ball sweep and track down all the balls that are hit out of the park, but this one might be lost for good.
“There’s been some pretty big bombs of home runs, but that was a big one,” she said. “That was high and still going. That was scary.”
The hit echoed throughout Easton Stadium and revitalized the Bruins heading into the next inning.
“My teammates, they’re the ones that bring me up,” Grant said. “So seeing them with their big smiles – I’m kind of more of like a serious player – so seeing them, it’s like, oh man. They’re great, they’re simply great.”
UCLA held a 6-2 advantage when freshman southpaw Kaitlyn Terry came in to relieve Tinsley in the circle.
The Bruins polished off the game in the fifth inning with an RBI single up the left side from Palacios (2 for 2, two RBIs) and a two-run, walk-off triple by Allchin (2 for 3, three RBIs) that spun its way down the right field line.
The weekend series marks the last time the longtime rivals will meet in Pac-12 play. UCLA is moving to the Big Ten next season and Arizona is joining the Big 12.
They are the two winningest teams in college softball when it comes to NCAA national championships. The Bruins have won 13 and the Wildcats have eight.
“It’s just such an honor. Throughout this rivalry, there’s been legends, absolute legends,” Brady said. “At the end of the day, it’s super sad. I love playing against Arizona. For me, it’s a surreal experience. It’s a historic rivalry and I’m sad to see it go.”