This post was updated May 14 at 8:58 p.m.

TUCSON — In a turn of events, the Bruins found themselves in need of a miracle.

And when graduate student outfielder Aaliyah Jordan stepped up to the plate with two outs and the bases loaded in the sixth inning, that seemed possible – especially with Jordan already going yard earlier in the night.

The smack of her bat’s connection echoed through the stadium as spectators’ heads turned toward left field. But instead of soaring over the wall, the ball landed squarely in the glove of Utah’s outfielder.

Despite entering the Pac-12 tournament as the No. 1 seed, UCLA softball (52-5, 21-3 Pac-12) ended its 25-game winning streak with a championship game loss to No. 3 seed Utah (37-13, 15-9) by a final score of 7-4 on Saturday. 

Both teams traded big hits early, as a soaring long ball from Jordan to notch two runs for the Bruins demanded a response from Ute infielder Karlie Davison. She hit a home run of her own just a few minutes later.

For redshirt senior pitcher Megan Faraimo, Utah’s power was to be expected.

“We knew coming in we had to respect their bats,” Faraimo said. “They’re good hitters, … and they can be every time.”

By the third inning, both teams had already surpassed the hit total from Friday’s one-run semifinal between UCLA and Stanford. But if that game was a crawl, this was a sprint. The Bruin offense was quick on its feet to capitalize on the Utes’ errors. 

Between a stolen base and bolt to home from redshirt senior outfielder Kelli Godin and a three-base dash from redshirt junior outfielder Janelle Meoño, the Bruins fought to cross home plate. 

This fight, according to coach Kelly Inouye-Perez, has been there season long. UCLA swept Utah only weeks ago, and she said the championship outcome does not change that.

“We put ourselves in positions. Tonight, we didn’t get it done,” Inouye-Perez said. “But I’m not going to take away from what we’ve done the entire season to be able to do exactly that.”

Everything had changed by the time UCLA’s ace left the circle.

A swinging strikeout from Faraimo may have kickstarted the Bruins’ momentum, but four innings later, the pitcher had allowed four runs for only the third time this season. 

Utah took the lead on an RBI single in the fourth inning, closing the book on Faraimo’s outing as sixth-year pitcher Brooke Yanez stepped in to shut down the Utes with the bases loaded. 

As their opponents’ bats came to life, UCLA couldn’t follow suit. Contrary to her recent conference batting crown, redshirt junior utility Maya Brady did not connect with the ball until the sixth inning, though not by choice. Brady drew three walks, the last of which was intentional, but the rest of UCLA’s offense was missing a link that its defense could not compensate for. 

According to Jordan, that difference at the plate was key to Utah’s eventual victory.

“They had clutch hits. We didn’t, at the end of the day,” Jordan said.

The final nail in the Bruins’ coffin came from a two-run home run in the sixth inning courtesy of Ute utility Halle Morris to bring the Utah lead up to three. 

After Jordan’s flyout stranded three Bruins, the game concluded with a 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh to end UCLA’s stay in Tucson.

“I told them not to focus on this outcome, but feel it. It’s real,” Inouye-Perez said. “Hold on to that for a second because it will sharpen your edge and get you ready for the next opportunity.”