UCLA Softball: Bruins Split Opening Day Doubleheader
Your No. 10 UCLA Bruins softball team split a pair of games to open their 2024 season on Friday. The Bruins got a 6-5 win against Maryland and dropped the nightcap on primetime ESPN to the No. 5 Texas Longhorns, 3-2.
Sophomore Alexis Ramirez led the Bruins offensively going 3-for-5 on the day with a double, a home run, a walk, two runs scored and two runs batted in.
Last season, Ramirez had seven hits in 22 games and made 10 starts.
Junior pitcher Jada Cecil, who transferred from UC San Diego, got the win for the Bruins pitching 4.2 innings and surrendering one run on one hit and four walks.
Game 1: UCLA 6, Maryland 5
The Terrapins jumped all over freshman pitcher Kaitlyn Terry scoring four runs in the top of the first inning.
Terry was lifted after 1.1 innings of work. She gave up four runs (one earned) on three hits and two walks. She struck out two in her collegiate debut.
The Bruins answered back with three runs in the bottom of the third when Maya Brady doubled in Ramirez and Savannah Pola drove in two runs on a single.
Maryland earned a run back in the fourth and then UCLA scored three unanswered with one in the fourth and two in the sixth.
Brady delivered the game-winning run with an RBI single, scoring Jadelyn Allchin and sophomore pitcher Taylor Tinsley slammed the door by striking out the side in the seventh. She earned her first save with the scoreless inning.
Game 2: UCLA 2, Texas 3
Tinsley notched the start for the Bruins, but her offense struggled to find its way against the Longhorns.
Jordan Woolery and Ramirez had the only two hits for the Bruins, who scored two runs in the sixth inning after trailing 3-0.
Tinsley went the distance and gave up seven hits and one earned run while striking out eight and walking two.
The Bruins return to action on Saturday for a rematch with the Longhorns, slated for 4 p.m. PST.