Taylor Tinsley grew up less than an hour’s drive from the University of Georgia.

Despite Tinsley being a self-proclaimed Georgia Tech fan growing up, the rivalry between the two schools did not stop her from pursuing opportunities with the rival.

During her high school years – where her school’s mascot was the bulldog and her prep team’s logo was the infamous Georgia “G” – Tinsley spent some weekends attending pitching camps at Georgia’s Jack Turner Softball Stadium, co-hosted by now-Bulldogs coach Tony Baldwin.

“I just remember her as a freshman (in high school),” Baldwin said in Friday’s postgame press conference. “Just being one of the most competitive people in the park.”

However, staying home was not in the cards for Tinsley.

The now-sophomore pitcher committed to UCLA softball during her senior year of high school – cementing her choice to pack her bags and trade the humid Georgia coasts for the dry California heat.

Another blow to her home state came Friday when Tinsley threw seven innings of one-run ball to send the Bulldogs back to Athens and the Bruins to the Women’s College World Series – her first trip since arriving in Westwood.

“I would say it’s a little bit of full circle,” Tinsley said. “In Athens, … I knew the area well, I knew the girls well, the coach well. So, I can’t really put it into words. It’s just awesome.”

Baldwin said he remembers Tinsley’s high school career, during which she became the top-ranked pitching recruit in the nation.

At George Walton Academy, Tinsley tallied 842 strikeouts in 449.2 innings, recording an earned run average of 0.72 over four seasons. At UCLA, she turned heads instantly, tossing a no-hitter in her first career start and garnering Pac-12 and national honors in her second season.

In February, Tinsley conceded six earned runs in a loss to Georgia – her first time facing the Bulldogs in NCAA competition. However, she flipped the switch Friday, shutting them down and at one point retiring 13 consecutive batters en route to a victory.

“Her pitches have grown, she’s stronger, her velocity is better – but she’s still the same competitor that we saw when she was a ninth grader,” Baldwin said. “This was her moment, and she shined tonight.”

Days away from the Women’s College World Series, coach Kelly Inouye-Perez said Tinsley put her team on her back as it looked to clinch its 32nd berth to Oklahoma City.

Inouye-Perez added that Tinsley’s journey from the south to the West Coast should be highlighted, as she sought more from her softball career – taking the opportunity to join the winningest program in college softball, get a UCLA degree and head to the Women’s College World Series.

“She could have easily stayed close to home; she could have stayed with her teammates. But she had a bigger-picture vision,” Inouye-Perez said. “We’ve been kind of waiting for this moment – I can picture it.”