Fresh faces have stepped in to fill the void left by last season’s since-departed veterans.

And with the help of multiple freshmen, No. 4 UCLA softball (9-1) defeated No. 10 Oklahoma State (5-4) by a score of 6-4 and Charlotte (2-8) in a 10-0 run-rule victory Friday. UCLA also took down No. 24 Kentucky (6-4) by 3-1 and No. 12 Alabama (5-5) by 6-3 Saturday, but it fell to Virginia (5-5) on Sunday with a score of 7-6 at the Shriners Children’s Clearwater Invitational in Clearwater, Florida.

“They are the future of UCLA softball,” said coach Kelly Inouye-Perez. “For them to come on this big stage in these first two weekends of play and be able to do what they’ve done at the plate, on the field, has just been a big lift for what UCLA softball is all about.”

After the Cowgirls put up two runs in the top of the first, the Bruins responded with a three-run rally in the bottom half of the inning, with freshman infielder/utility Kaniya Bragg shooting a go-ahead RBI double to right center that scored graduate student infielder Seneca Curo.

Despite a two-run homer from Oklahoma State second baseman Rosie Davis in the sixth, a solo shot from freshman Aleena Garcia in the fourth and a two-run long ball from junior right fielder Megan Grant in the fifth put the game out of the Cowgirls’ reach and earned the Bruins their first win over a top-10 opponent this season.

“We’ve learned so far that we’re never out of the fight,” said junior infielder Jordan Woolery. “The Bruins are always down for a fight, and Bruin magic is alive and well.”

UCLA recorded a 10-0 run-rule victory over Charlotte in five innings. But against the Cavaliers, a walk-off two-run jack by utility Mary Caroline Eaton broke the Bruins’ eight-game winning streak.

Against the Wildcats, Woolery and senior utility Savannah Pola each launched dingers in the bottom of the first and third, respectively, while Garcia added an RBI single in the fourth.

The Crimson Tide took an early lead in the teams’ affair, scoring three runs in the first two innings. However, sophomore pitcher Kaitlyn Terry tossed 5.1 shutout innings the rest of the way.

After three scoreless innings from both sides, the Bruins put up six runs in the sixth, highlighted by freshman catcher Sofia Mujica’s game-winning three-run double to center.

“I’m a freshman, I’ve never experienced Bruin magic before – but that was it,” Mujica said. “It was almost like the belief kind of took over, and I knew something good was going to happen.”

Terry – who totaled 9.1 scoreless innings against Kentucky and Alabama – and junior Taylor Tinsley, who pitched 329.1 innings collectively in 2024, combined for 25 strikeouts and 21.1 innings across the invitational.

Meanwhile, freshman Addisen Fisher spent 10 innings in the circle over the weekend, allowing just one run.

“KT (Terry) is a lefty and throws hard and high, and Addie (Fisher) has a great drop ball, and Taylor (Tinsley) has a great change-up,” Inouye-Perez said. “We have the ability to have a great staff, to be able to go head to head with any opponent.”

UCLA will compete in the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic beginning Thursday, where the Bruins will face six currently ranked programs in Cathedral City, California.