UCLA’s season ends in Women’s College World Series loss to Stanford
OKLAHOMA CITY — The clock struck midnight on UCLA’s Bruin Magic.
After a season defined by miraculous wins, the Bruins came up one rally short, losing 3-1 in a Women’s College World Series elimination game to No. 8 Stanford on Sunday at Devon Park.
Although UCLA (43-12) scored only one run in its last two games, coach Kelly Inouye-Perez still called the season a successful comeback for the Bruins, who not only returned to Oklahoma City for the eighth time in nine seasons but did so after fighting off the program’s worst start in almost 40 years.
“When I put it all together, this is the greatest year of coaching I’ve experienced,” Inouye-Perez said, fighting off tears. “Man, building belief, building trust, building a team that could fight. We were right where we needed to be, and we ran out of time.”
Oklahoma’s Kelly Maxwell thwarts UCLA batters in key moments during an 11-strikeout performance in the Sooners’ 1-0 win in the Women’s College World Series.
The Bruins were 3-4 in February before they surged to win 30 of their last 35 regular-season games. UCLA took a nation-leading 14-game winning streak into Saturday’s game against Oklahoma then floundered against two of the country’s top pitchers. After Oklahoma’s Kelly Maxwell held UCLA scoreless for the first time since April 7, Stanford ace NiJaree Canady kept UCLA to four hits and one run with eight strikeouts Sunday.
The USA Softball collegiate player of the year struck out back-to-back Pac-12 player of the year Maya Brady three times. The UCLA star matched her career high in a game and equaled her strikeouts in UCLA’s shutout loss to Oklahoma. She was 11 for 16 at the plate in the NCAA tournament entering the World Series, but the program’s second-leading home run hitter went 0 for 7 in her last two games.
Before Brady and sophomores Megan Grant and Taylor Tinsley appeared for the postgame news conference, Inouye-Perez encouraged them to keep their composure. But even the coach who got through the team meeting without a tear started breaking down on the dais. Then in one final graceful stand, Brady smiled through the end of her decorated career.
“Just a dream,” Brady said of her five-year UCLA tenure. “I feel like as a little girl you always look at the program, the coaching staff, the players. You think that they’re untouchable. Just to get the opportunity to wear this jersey, get my degree, be close to my family. … It surpassed my expectations. We never got to win, but trust me, I’m winning in life.”
Brady will hand off the program to a talented sophomore class led by Tinsley. The pitcher tossed 3 2/3 innings of relief Sunday, giving up three hits and one run with one strikeout to keep the Bruins in contention against Canady.
Stanford (50-16) chased UCLA starter Kaitlyn Terry with a tying RBI double by Taryn Kern in the third inning, then Tinsley gave up the go-ahead hit on an RBI single by Ava Gall. The Cardinal extended their lead in the fifth, leading off with back-to-back bunts and scoring on a sacrifice fly by pinch-hitter Allie Clements to bring home Emily Jones.
The basketball star joined the UCLA softball program as a pinch runner this month as the Bruins were trying to boost their speed and depth for the NCAA tournament.
A two-run lead was far from insurmountable for a team that entered the World Series leading the postseason field with 7.8 runs per game in the NCAA tournament. The Bruins nearly started a rally when Savannah Pola was hit by a pitch with two outs in the seventh. Thessa Malau’ulu poked a line-drive single past the Stanford shortstop to get two on for the Bruins. The rowdy fans in the UCLA section seated behind the first base line waved their blue-and-gold pompoms as Ramsey Suarez stepped into the batter’s box.
The pinch-hitter grounded out.
Sophomore Megan Grant produced UCLA’s only run with a solo home run to lead off the third inning. She was one of the last players to leave the UCLA dugout after the game, standing at the top of the stairs to grab a final glance at the country’s most famous softball stadium.
Underclassmen making their Oklahoma City debuts delivered almost all of UCLA’s key moments under the bright lights. First baseman Jordan Woolery won the opening game with a three-run homer in the sixth inning against Alabama. Tinsley and Terry, a freshman, held the three-time defending champion Sooners to one run in Saturday’s pitchers’ duel.
The opportunities were exactly what Tinsley dreamed of growing up when she watched the tournament with her father.
Inspired by her late grandmother and strengthened by her family, Sharlize Palacios has helped lift UCLA softball back into the Women’s College World Series.
“Just being able to pitch, soak up the environment, there’s a lot of people watching you, I honestly love it,” Tinsley said. “That’s why I wanted to be a pitcher in the first place, having everybody’s eyes on me.”
The answer elicited laughter from Brady and Inouye-Perez, who elbowed each other and nodded.
“That’s such a pitcher answer,” Brady said under her breath.
Tinsley and Terry, who gave up three hits and two runs with three strikeouts Sunday in her third consecutive start, were major questions for the team that had experienced hitters throughout the order. They answered all concerns with strong performances that have the Bruins planning for a return to the big stage.
“I wasn’t emotional in the meeting because I just look forward to the future,” Inouye-Perez said. “The experience they gained on this stage is real. They have a fire burning in their guts.”
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