UCLA Softball Looks to Sweep UCF Tonight
The Bruins defeated the Knights, 9-1, in a five inning, run rule shortened game last night.
After defeating UCF last night by a score of 9-1 in a run-rule shortened game, the UCLA softball team is on the brink of earning a berth in the Women’s College World Series. Tonight, the teams will meet at 7 pm PT and the game will be broadcast on ESPN.
Last Time Out
What is it about the announcers who call some of the earlier rounds of NCAA tournaments? Last night, we had to listen to ESPN’s Matt Schumacker talk about a “pitcher’s duel” for almost the entire game. It was as if he didn’t know that the Bruin offense could explode at any minute.
As for the game itself, Bri Alejandre got UCLA on the board first with a solo homer in the bottom of the second inning.
It was Alejandre who got the next Bruin rally started in the fourth inning with a leadoff walk. After Kaniya Bragg was hit by a pitch, UCF starter Ava Stuewe was done and Knights head coach Cindy Ball-Malone turned to her ace Isabella Vega. So much for the “pitcher’s duel” Schumacker kept insisting was happening.
Alexis Ramirez laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners and a grounder to second from Soo-Jin Berry scored Alejandre and moved Bragg to third. When Ramsey Suarez came to the plate as a pinch-hitter for Jolyna Lamar, she ripped a double down the left field line which scored Bragg and gave the Bruins a 3-0 lead. Rylee Slimp and Megan Grant both walked to load the bases, but Jordan Woolery lined out to second to end the inning.
The Knights finally got on the board when Sierra Humphreys hit a solo shot to left in the top of the fifth, but the Bruin Bashers finally arrived in the bottom half of the inning. Aleena Garcia and Alejandre set up the Bruins’ big inning when they were both hit by pitches to start the rally. Bragg followed with a three-run homer and UCLA now led 6-1. After Ramirez made the first out of the inning, Berry singled but made it all the way to third on a throwing error.
That would be all for Vega and Ball-Malone handed the ball to Macy Miles. She wasn’t much better than Stuewe or Vega. She walked Lamar on four pitches and then gave up the Bruins’ second three-run homer of the inning to Slimp that ended the game since UCLA was now up 9-1.
Los Angeles Super Regional
Game #2
Teams: #2 seed UCLA Bruins (51-8) vs. #6 seed UCF Knights (41-18-1)
When: 7:00 pm PT, Saturday, May 23, 2026
Where: Easton Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
TV: ESPN
Live Stream: WatchESPN.com and the ESPN app
Live Stats: UCLA StatBroadcast
NCAA.com
Game #3 (If necessary)
Teams: #2 seed UCLA Bruins (51-8) vs. #6 seed UC Knights (41-18-1)
When: TBD, Sunday, May 24, 2026
Where: Easton Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
TV: ESPN Family of Networks
Live Stream: WatchESPN.com and the ESPN app
Live Stats: UCLA StatBroadcast
NCAA.com
Series Notes:
UCLA
UCF
Go Bruins!!!
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