This post was updated May 29 at 11:02 p.m.

Lifelong bonds are forged from neighborhood diamonds to star-studded Oklahoma City.

Graduate student outfielder Jadelyn Allchin and redshirt seniors shortstop Maya Brady, catcher Sharlize Palacios and outfielder Janelle Meoño have all starred in the Women’s College World Series before – but for the first time, the quartet will do it together.

Being teammates at UCLA, however, was not by chance, nor was it a first-time meeting.

In its younger days, the pack patrolled the diamond together in travel ball as members of the Orange County Batbusters.

“We’ve really come a long way since travel ball,”Palacios said. “Maya, Nelly (Meoño), Jadelyn – it feels so rewarding to hug them and say, ‘We’re going to finish it at OKC.’”

Despite entering college in the same class, they did not start their careers at the same place.

“I think Shar (Palacios) was already committed, and I went to U of A (Arizona) and I absolutely hated it,” Brady said. “So it definitely was not a possibility. I didn’t think we were going to play together.”

The group went its separate ways but all stayed within the Pac-12. Brady chose UCLA as Palacios and Meoño committed to Arizona, while Allchin traveled north to attend the University of Washington.

Despite a freshman season shortened by COVID-19, each of the four built successful resumes at their respective schools.

Meoño was named the 2021 Pac-12 Freshman of the Year and was the Pac-12 Batting Champion with a .439 average in her first full season. Similarly, Palacios logged 39 home runs as a Wildcat and was named to the All-Pac-12 First Team in 2021 and 2022.

But, following a WCWS run with the Wildcats in 2022, the duo entered the transfer portal.

Brady – after a second consecutive run to Oklahoma City with the Bruins did not culminate in a championship – knew the value the pair could bring.

“As soon as they (Meoño and Palacios) were in the portal, I was obviously like, ‘Coach I (Kelly Inouye-Perez), this needs to happen. Whatever way you work this, I need to finish my career with them,’” Brady said.

The pair committed to UCLA prior to the 2023 season, but its first year together with Brady came to an early conclusion.

Palacios suffered a season-ending injury during conference play and could only watch as the offense faltered and the Bruins bowed out early in the postseason.

Three Pac-12 teams qualified for the WCWS. The Bruins were not among them, marking their first absence since 2014.

Allchin’s performance helped the Huskies punch their first ticket to Oklahoma City since 2019. Trailing by six and on the brink of elimination, Allchin sparked a seven-run rally en route to a comeback and an eventual WCWS berth for her squad.

Like Palacios and Meoño had the year prior, Allchin entered the portal at the season’s end and has since found a second home in the outfield of Easton Stadium.

“I just love Jadelyn as a person and her leadership is unreal,” Brady said. “She’s somebody that can be relied on. She’s somebody that’s clutch. She is a leader.”

In her lone year with the program, the Washington transfer recorded three walk-offs and robbed multiple hits in left field throughout the NCAA tournament.

With a Bruin offensespearheaded by Palacios and Brady – and an outfield roamed by Meoño and Allchin – the bunch will now take their long-time camaraderie to a new destination.

A date with Oklahoma City awaits the troupe in its final season of collegiate softball. And with it, one last opportunity to hoist the national championship trophy.

“It’s just really a special bond that the four of us have,” Brady said. “The fact that we’re all able to be here and go to OKC together is crazy.”