Softball breaks own record for most runs scored in inning, remains undefeated

The Bruins broke a record Sunday.

No. 1 UCLA softball (9-0) scored 16 runs in the first inning of its game against UC Riverside (3-7) en route to a 17-3 victory, followed by a 3-1 win against Loyola Marymount (6-2) to wrap up the Stacy Winsberg Memorial Tournament.

The 16-run first inning broke the previous record of 13 for the most runs in a single inning in UCLA history and is also the second-most runs in a first inning in NCAA history.

“It’s just an opportunity to see what this team is capable of doing,” said coach Kelly Inouye-Perez. “We have speed, we have power, we have versatility, we have people in the lineup and people coming off the bench.”

The Bruins started off the scoring frenzy with back-to-back home runs by junior outfielder Bubba Nickles and redshirt sophomore outfielder Aaliyah Jordan to make it 3-0. Five walks, six hits and a pitching change later, the Bruins were up 13-0 with no outs recorded, capped by a three-run home run by redshirt junior pitcher Rachel Garcia.

The Bruins would add on three more runs before they were finally retired, batting around twice, and taking a 16-0 lead on 15 hits. Every UCLA starter scored at least once in the inning.

“We’ve played them a lot, so we know their pitchers,” Jordan said. “And since we got rained out Friday, we were really excited to play today.”

The Highlanders would strike back with a home run on the first pitch of the second inning and a two-RBI double in the fourth against sophomore pitcher Holly Azevedo – but that’s all they got. Nickles’ second home run of the day in the fourth was the cherry on top for the Bruins, who took the five-inning mercy-rule victory 17-3.

UCLA’s second game of the day was much closer. LMU struck first, as infielder Riley Ehlen launched a home run off of Garcia in the third inning to take a 1-0 Lions lead – only the second time the Bruins have trailed this season.

But the Bruins answered in the bottom of the inning, stringing together three singles to score a run, with the RBI coming from Nickles, who had four total on the night.

“When they scored the home run, we scored back. Their ability to have (Garcia’s) back is big,” Inouye-Perez said. “It doesn’t always play out perfectly, but your ability to have each other’s backs is how you win.”

The Bruins would take the lead in the fifth inning, as freshman utility Kelli Godin singled, stole second, then advanced to third on a ground out, followed by a bunt double by sophomore infielder Briana Perez. After a strikeout for Nickles, Jordan came through with a hard hit that got away from the Lions’ shortstop, scoring both Godin and Perez.

“I was just trying not to think too much at the plate, and just do me,” Godin said. “I knew that (Perez) was right behind me and my team had me. I just had to get on.”

The Bruin victory was in danger in the seventh inning, as Garcia loaded the bases on two singles and a hit-by-pitch, but was able to get out of the jam with two strikeouts and a pop up to secure the 3-1 win. Garcia finished the game with 14 strikeouts, no walks and a hit-by-pitch.

With the victories, UCLA remains the only Pac-12 team left that hasn’t taken a loss. The Bruins will go back on the road again next week to the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic, starting Thursday with a game against No. 19 Texas A&M.