The UCLA Bruins moved through the Super Regionals and onto the Women’s College World Series, beating UCF in the first two games of the best-of-three series. UCLA closed things out with 14-4 win to eliminate the Knights while avoiding a potential third game of the series on Sunday.
The Bruins are headed to OKC for the 34th time! #GoBruins | #WCWSpic.twitter.com/qhF64x2Gp7
— UCLA Softball (@UCLASoftball) May 24, 2026
It’s not about how you start…
UCF led 1-0 after scoring in the first inning and it’d take until the third inning for the Bruins to take the lead. After UCLA jumped in front 6-1, the Knights scored three runs in the fifth inning to get back in the game.
Putting it to bed
From there the UCLA offense exploded. The Bruins closed out the Super Regionals with three runs in the sixth and five more in the seventh, with UCLA slugging four home runs in the game.
Freshman slugger shows up big
UCLA became the first college softball team to ever slug 200 home runs in the season with a ninth inning home run off the bat of Bri Alejandre in the seventh inning. Alejande’s home run also set a new Big Ten Conference freshman record, with her 24th of the season.
UCLA HAS HIT 200 HOME RUNS THIS SEASON!!
📺: ESPN
📲: https://t.co/Q5hqjvNBo9#GoBruinspic.twitter.com/Y88uZF28x9— UCLA Softball (@UCLASoftball) May 24, 2026
Aleena Garcia got in on the fun
Alejandre wasn’t the only freshman to go deep in the seventh, with Aleena Garcia hitting her second three-run home run of the game. Garcia drove seven runs in the game. While much went right for the Bruins on Saturday, UCLA did see Kaniya Bragg leave the game in the sixth inning.
Taylor Tinsley shows up yet again for UCLA
Taylor Tinsley just keep mauling innings in the circle for UCLA, she added on seven more innings while picking up her 32nd win of the season and the 71st of her Bruin career. Tinsley allowed the four earned runs and striking out 11.
That’s a postseason career-high 9 strikeouts for @TaylorTinsley7. https://t.co/8tpG7TRXkHpic.twitter.com/i3XmdIho9A
— UCLA Softball (@UCLASoftball) May 24, 2026
Back to the Women’s College World Series for the Bruins
Now the Bruins will head to Oklahoma City for the Women’s College World Series looking to add to their NCAA record 12 WCWS titles. It’ll be a third-straight WCWS appearance for the Bruins, with UCLA last winning it all back in 2019.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: UCLA softball headed to a third-straight WCWS after 14-4 win over UCF