Not long after she delivered an offensive performance for the ages, following up a three-run homer with another, UCLA’s Alaina Garcia found herself in awe.
When a reporter mentioned that the Bruins softball team had shattered an NCAA-record 200 at-bats on its way to clinching its third straight berth in the Women’s College World Series, Garcia opened her mouth in astonishment before covering it with her hand.
Yes, this crime is a thing.
After Central Florida’s second straight shellacking in the NCAA Super Regional on Saturday night at Easton Stadium in Los Angeles, one might as well take UCLA’s offensive record book and write “2026” next to everything.
Just a redshirt freshman, Garcia set a school postseason record with seven runs batted in during the Bruins’ 14-4 rout of the Knights that completed a two-game sweep of the best-of-three series by a 23-5 margin.
“What a dynamic lineup,” Central Florida coach Cindy Ball-Malone said somewhat understated after UCLA hit .360 with a .535 on-base percentage in the series.
Even as the Knights circled around UCLA’s Megan Grant — walking her six times over her seven appearances in two games — they couldn’t solve the rest of the Bruins’ lineup.
Bree Alejandre and Alexis Ramirez also returned for UCLA (52-8) on Saturday, giving the Bruins seven homers in two games — and extending an NCAA record for the season.
“I knew we had a lot of home runs, but I didn’t know it was 200,” Garcia said with a laugh. “This team, we’ve set a lot of records, but that’s not our main goal — we’re just focusing on the process and what it takes to set those records and then the records set themselves.”
UCLA’s 651 runs this season broke the NCAA record of 638 set by Oklahoma in 2021. The Bruins posted a .385 batting average, .496 on-base percentage and .836 slugging percentage — all on their way to becoming school records.
“Hitters are individuals — it’s an individual opportunity — but this team plays as a unit, and it starts at the top — the coaches down to the players, they’re more involved in the team than they are in themselves,” UCLA coach Kelly Inouye Perez said.
What does it mean
UCLA will head to college softball’s biggest stage with a proven formula – a prolific offense combined with Taylor Tinsley’s tireless pitching.
Tinsley (32-6) threw every pitch for the Bruins in two Super Regional games, tying a postseason career-high with 11 strikeouts on Saturday. She has also achieved victory in her team’s last four NCAA Tournament appearances.
turning point
After Central Florida (41-19-1) pulled within 6-4 in the fifth inning, Garcia belted her second homer with a three-run home run in the sixth inning to secure the Bruins’ 34th trip to the WCWS.
Most Valuable Player: Alina Garcia
Garcia’s huge production also revealed the depth of the batting order with no weaknesses.
The Rylee Slimp’s 14 leadoff homers exceed the total of some cleanup hitters on other teams, and Jolina Lamar, the No. 9 hitter, is batting .336.
the next
The eighth-seeded Bruins will face top-seeded Alabama in the WCWS opener in Oklahoma City on a date and time to be announced.