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The Bruins (51-8) hit three home runs in the game to extended their NCAA single-season home run record to 196. Two of the home runs were three-run shots in the fifth inning, including the walk-off homer by Rylee Slimp<\/a><\/dfn>.\u00a0
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<\/p>\n RYLEE SLIMP 3-RUN WALK-OFF HOMER!!!#GoBruins<\/a> | @ryleeslimp29<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/sJJyeRpTpq<\/a><\/p>\n
\nThe victory marked UCLA’s program-record 29th run-rule win of the season, besting the previous mark of 28 set just last season under hitting coach Lisa Fernandez<\/a><\/dfn>.<\/p>\n UCLA senior Taylor Tinsley<\/a><\/dfn> pitched her 23rd complete game of the season to pick up her 31st victory of the year. She allowed just three hits and struck out two in five innings.<\/p>\n “I’m just so proud of this group,” said The Shelly Carlin UCLA Head Softball Coach Kelly Inouye-Perez<\/a><\/dfn>. “Taylor [Tinsley] is a fierce competitor. She’s dialed in every pitch with a plan, and trying to execute pitches. She just did a great job of being able to do everything she can to help her team. But the patience of the offense, I credit the coaches, I credit the players, I credit the ability to be able to adjust throughout a ball game. It didn’t start the way we wanted, but it’s always never about how you start, it’s how you finish. This team has the ability to do some pretty special things, and game one is always big, especially in Supers.”<\/p>\n The first and last hits of the game were, fittingly, home runs by the Bruins. Freshman Bri Alejandre<\/a><\/dfn> hit a solo shot to center field to lead off the bottom of the second inning. It was her 23rd homer of the year, tying the Big Ten freshman record.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Bruins increased their lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the fourth, taking advantage of control issues by UCF pitchers. A walk and hit batter put two Bruins on. After a sac bunt moved the runners over, Soo-Jin Berry<\/a><\/dfn> knocked in a run on a groundout, and pinch hitter Ramsey Suarez<\/a><\/dfn> scored two more with a two-out double. \u00a0
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<\/p>\n PINCH-HIT RBI DOUBLE FOR RAM BAM!! ????<\/p>\n ??: ESPNU
\nUCF (41-17-1) got one run back in the top of the fifth with a leadoff home run by Sierra Humphreys, her 16th of the year, but control issues once again plagued the Knights in the bottom of the inning. Relief pitcher Isabella Vega hit the first two Bruins on consecutive pitches, and Bragg made them pay with her 18th home run of the year. A single by Berry chased Vega, but Macy Miles walked Jolyna Lamar<\/a><\/dfn> on four pitches, then gave up a three-run home run to Slimp to finish the game.\u00a0<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n SEE-YA!!!@KANIYABRAGG<\/a> ADDS 3!!!<\/p>\n ??: ESPNU
\nThe Knights (41-17-1) allowed just five hits in the game but walked six batters and hit three. Five of those batters went on to score. \u00a0<\/p>\n Game two of the series will take place on Saturday, May 23 at 7pm PT on ESPN.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n\u2014 UCLA Softball (@UCLASoftball) May 23, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\n??: https:\/\/t.co\/Q5hqjvNBo9<\/a>#GoBruins<\/a> | @RamseySuarez<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/hv8cvXy1ml<\/a><\/p>\n
\n\u2014 UCLA Softball (@UCLASoftball) May 23, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\n??: https:\/\/t.co\/Q5hqjvNBo9<\/a>#GoBruins<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/dDRYqYwx3S<\/a><\/p>\n
\n\u2014 UCLA Softball (@UCLASoftball) May 23, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n