Bruins headed back to WCWS
The UCLA softball team is back where it belongs headed to the Women College World Series. After an early exit in 2023 the team has regrouped and are headed back to OKC.
By Earl Heath | Contributing Sports Writer
The UCLA softball team is back where it belongs headed to the Women College World Series. After an early exit in 2023 the team has regrouped and are headed back to OKC.
The BRUINS defeated Georgia 6-1 completing a two-game sweep in the best of three series in the NCAA Super Regionals held at Easton Stadium.
Starter Taylor Tinsley did a masterful job in the circle, giving up a run two hits in the first inning then went on to retire 14 straight batters.
The Georgia native pitched a complete game, allowing just four hits with six strikeouts, leading UCLA (41-10) to its nation-leading 32nd World Series appearance.
Tinsley was a three-sport star at George Walton Academy in Lawrenceville, Georgia just 30 minutes from Athens and the Georgia campus. She played four years of softball, two years of basketball and two years of golf ,ranked the No. 1 pitcher and No. 2 overall recruit in the 2021 class by Softball America .
“This was her moment,” said Georgia coach Tony Baldwin, who watched Tinsley through her high school career. “She shined tonight. Congratulations to UCLA, there as about the most complete team as we faced all year,” added Baldwin. They are well coached and they play the game the right way. We have a lot of respect for them.”
The Bulldogs (43-19) earned their way into the Supers by coming from the losers bracket and winning three straight games including beating front-runner Liberty University twice.
Sharlize Palacios did a lot of damage on offense going 3 for 3 with two home runs. She now has two multi-homer performances this postseason and extends her total through Super Regionals to five. She has six multi-homer games in her career.
“A lot of gratitude,” said Palacios when asked about the emotions she’s feeling after sending her team to the WCWS in her senior season. “I’m happy to be here with my girls. This is the team I want to take to OKC. This is the army I want to go toe-to-toe with anyone with. I can’t wait to finish out my career with these girls.”
The No. 6 Bruins will face No. 14 Alabama in the first round of the World Series this week in Oklahoma City. The Tide took 2 of 3 from Tennessee on the Vols home field.
Southern California softball is the place for top recruits, UCLA coaches rarely leave the state for top talent. It was Tinsley’s competitiveness that drew the attention of head coach Kelly Inouye Perez immediately was inspired by her willingness to accept the difficult challenge of moving across the country and majoring in pre-health. Her goal is to become a physical therapist.
“There were a lot of people when we were going through the recruiting process that said you shouldn’t go away from home, you should stay close,” Inouye-Perez said. “I shared with her how awesome it would be to be the role model to be able to say that you can go and strive for your own goals and dreams because you can always go back home. So I’m really proud.”
UCLA’s first player from Georgia ousted her home state school to send the Bruins to the Women’s College World Series with a win over the 11th-ranked Bulldogs last weekend at Easton Stadium.
“This was her moment,” said Georgia coach Tony Baldwin, who watched Tinsley through her high school career. “She shined tonight.”
Maya Brady homered twice in the series opener including going “UPTOWN” with a blast to right field to leadoff the game.
She moved up to seventh place on UCLA’s career hits list with five in Super-Regional play, passing Katie Schroeder, Stephanie LaRosa and Tairia Mims over the two games. She also is second in with 71 career homers.
Kaitlyn Terry sealed game one tossing six shutout innings in the circle Terry just allowed four hits and three walks, striking out five. The Pac-12 Conference Freshman of the Year ran her record to 21-1while becoming the first UCLA freshman to have a 20-win season since Rachael Garcia in 2021.
Jordan Worley hit a three-run shot to put the BRUINS up 6-0. It was the sophomore’s ninth homer of the season
The No. 6 Bruins will now face No. 14 Alabama in the first round of the World Series this week in Oklahoma City. The Tide took 2 of 3 from Tennessee on the Vols home field.
“This is a special group of girls, I’ve had everyone behind me.” said Tinsley in a post-game news conference. “I’m super excited about the Women’s Colleges World Series. Its something my parents and I have always watched together on TV.”
