Few things shift a game faster than a pitcher who owns the circle or a batter who can change a narrative in one swing.

But when a team has players who can do both – it has struck gold.

And the Bruins are seeing their fair share of treasure.

“We’re proud of the fact that we have some of the best two-way players … that have ever played in Division I softball,” said coach Kelly Inouye-Perez. “From Ally Carda, Rachel Garcia, Megan Langenfeld, Lisa Fernandez and Amanda Freed, we’ve had some of the best two-ways.”

And despite the graduation of all those former Bruins, sophomore pitcher/outfielder Kaitlyn Terry seems to be the next one up.

Launching her first career home run Friday night – in grand slam fashion – Terry’s two-way efforts helped No. 8 UCLA softball (36-5, 9-1 Big Ten) sweep No. 22 Ohio State (30-9-1, 6-4) in a two-game series at Easton Stadium. The Bruins run-ruled the Buckeyes 14-6 on Friday behind Terry’s four RBI night and defeated the Buckeyes 7-0 again Saturday.

“We call her Ohtani (Los Angeles Dodgers’ pitcher/designated hitter Shohei Ohtani) –someone who can do it all,” said junior utility Megan Grant. “The things she does for us as a team is just immense with her depth. It’s just a perfect combination of her to be free, whether we need her in the circle or right field or even in the box. Like, she is seriously incredible.”

While the Bruins’ ace is drawing comparisons to the MLB’s three-time Most Valuable Player for her play in Westwood, she is no stranger to the batter’s box and crushing balls over the outfield wall.

“KT (Kaitlyn Terry) may have not been a go to earlier in the season, but KT was the Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of Arizona and hit like 19 home runs when she was in high school,” Inouye-Perez said. “We haven’t had a pitcher that can hit home runs but could also drop a bunt and has the speed that she has on the bases, so she is a very unique two-way player that has a lot of tools.”

Aside from Terry’s four-run blast Friday night, the Bruins launched three long balls over the fence at Easton Stadium. Freshman infielder Kaniya Bragg hit a solo shot in the fourth inning while Grant posted the other two – including a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the fifth.

Grant finished the evening with seven RBIs, increasing her season total to 57 – one behind team leader junior infielder Jordan Woolery. The two are now ranked in the nation’s top 10 for runs batted in per game.

While Friday night’s affair was full of long balls and fireworks, Saturday afternoon’s clash was a defensive battle – at least until the bottom of the sixth inning.

The Bruins led 1-0 from the bottom of the first until the sixth frame, where they exploded for six runs, highlighted by a pair of three-run shots. The first came from redshirt sophomore catcher/utility Alexis Ramirez – her first such blast of 2025 after being sidelined with an injury – while the second came from senior utility Savannah Pola.

“Lefty (Alexis Ramirez), who literally hasn’t played all of last season and the majority of this season, to come in and do what she did today … all she wanted to do is be able to come back and be able to help this team win,” Inouye-Perez said. “Today was a big one, which the team celebrated, because she’s put so much work in after being so injured.”

Junior pitcher Taylor Tinsley pitched a complete game shutout, giving the Buckeyes’ offense its first scoreless affair of 2025. In her seven-inning outing, Tinsley struck out 10 while giving up just one hit and two walks.

Ohio State entered the two-game series ranked first in the nation in home runs, ninth in batting average and first in RBIs. The Buckeye arsenal boasts five players with double-digit long balls: catcher/utility Jasmyn Burns, infielders Reagan Milliken and Kami Kortokrax and outfielders Hadley Parisien and Taylor Cruse. The five power hitters combined for seven strikeouts against Tinsley.

“I’m so proud of Taylor Tinsley. She prepared for this game – all she wanted to do was play her game, which we’ve seen her capable of being able to do,” Inouye-Perez said. “She executed the game one pitch at a time. She came up with great pitches. She worked ahead in the count, she stretched the zone when she needed to. She just pitched a masterpiece tonight.”

Entering the two-game series, Tinsley ranked fifth in the nation in strikeout-to-walk ratio and had already tossed three double-digit strikeout performances. The 2024 All-Pac-12 First Team selection has walked just 12 batters and given up only six home runs in 73.2 innings pitched so far this season.

Tinsley said the team’s goal is to continue showing the country what UCLA softball is all about.

“Just showing that our team is going to show up no matter what. No matter what the scoreboard says, no matter what rankings say, no matter what anybody says about us, our team is here to play our game, and we’re not focused on any outside noise,” Tinsley said.