Their postseason fate unexpectedly teetering as they gathered along the third-base line, down to their final three outs in their NCAA Tournament opener, the UCLA softball players delivered a message.
“They were all telling me, ‘We will win — we’re going to win this game,’ ” coach Kelly Inouye-Perez said.
Why not?
A seventh-inning comeback was practically the only thing missing from a wildly vacillating game in which the Bruins built a big early lead and then gave it all away while surrendering 10 runs in an inning for the first time in more than a quarter of a century.
None of that mattered given their resolve — and powerful offense.
“There were no moments,” UCLA slugger Jordan Woolery said, “where we doubted our abilities.”
That belief was rewarded with one final plot twist Friday night at Easton Stadium, the Bruins scoring three runs in the final inning to rally for a 12-11 victory over California Baptist.
Aleena Garcia’s sacrifice fly to right field drove in Rylee Slimp with the winning run, sparking a spirited celebration for a team that persevered through extreme momentum swings.
“Bruin Magic is real,” Inouye-Perez said on a night that her team hit four homers and survived a nightmarish fifth inning.
Cal Baptist sent 14 batters to the plate in that inning, benefiting from three walks, two homers and a few sloppy plays from Bruins defenders while transforming a 7-1 deficit into an 11-7 lead.
It represented the most runs UCLA (48-8) had allowed in an inning since giving up 11 against Arizona on April 3, 1998.
Ultimately, it didn’t matter for a team that moved into the winner’s bracket.
“I’m just going to say welcome to the postseason, right?” Inouye-Perez said.
What it means
The Bruins won’t immediately face an elimination game in their bid to reach their third consecutive Women’s College World Series.
Turning point
Trailing by two runs entering the bottom of the seventh, the Bruins got it done.
Soo-Jin Berry stroked a one-out single to left field before freshman Jolyna Lamar — who had struck out in her first two at-bats before being replaced by a pinch-hitter in the fifth inning — stepped to the plate.
“So many people came up to me and were like, ‘We’ve got you, we’ve got your back, keep working, we trust you,’ ” Lamar said. “So I think their belief in me really allowed me to keep fighting.”
Lamar responded with a two-run homer to right-center on a full count to tie the score.
Rylee Slimp followed with an infield single before back-to-back walks to Megan Grant and Woolery loaded the bases. Garcia’s sacrifice fly ended the game.
Did you see that?
Several sprinklers went off in the outfield in the bottom of the fourth while umpires reviewed a possible interference call on UCLA pinch-runner Rylee Pinedo at second base.
It was a double-whammy for the Bruins when the umpires ruled there was interference on Pinedo, resulting in an inning-ending double play.
MVP: Brynne Nally
After replacing Tinsley in the fifth and giving up a homer to the first batter she faced, UCLA reliever Brynne Nally (5-1) rebounded to hold the Lancers scoreless for the rest of her 2 ⅔ innings.
“I think our most proud moment — separate from the offense — was Brynne Nally coming in and being able to stop the bleeding,” Inouye-Perez said, “and I think that was a really big pick-me-up for all of us.”
Up next
The Bruins will face South Carolina in a winner’s bracket game at 2 p.m. Saturday after the Gamecocks rallied for four late runs to beat Cal State Fullerton, 7-4, on Friday.
