It can be difficult to get many opportunities in the circle among two First Team All-Pac 12 players and the 2024 Gatorade National Softball Player of the Year.

But when Jada Cecil got her chance, she made it count.

Led by the senior pitcher’s first career no-hitter, No. 8 UCLA softball (42-7, 13-3 Big Ten) shut out and run ruled Long Beach State (21-20, 11-10 Big West) by a score of 9-0 Tuesday night at Easton Stadium. Cecil, in her second complete game, recorded the Bruins’ third no-hitter of the year and 126th overall.

“The game knows that Jada has been working. The game knows that she’s been a great teammate. The Bruins know she’s a great teammate, and the game paid her back tonight,” said coach Kelly Inouye-Perez. “She was prepared for it, bottom line. And for her to be able to finish strong – she had eight strikeouts, and to finish with one (strikeout) is just like icing on top of the cake.”

Cecil struck out Long Beach’s pinch hitter Emily Dowden for the final out and eighth strikeout of the game. The UC San Diego transfer, who joined the squad in 2024, has only allowed eight hits and five earned runs this season while maintaining a 3-0 record.

Behind Cecil was the nation’s No. 2-ranked program in fielding percentage. From freshman outfielder Rylee Slimp’s diving catch in foul territory to freshman catcher Maggie Daniel throwing out a runner at second, the Bruins’ defense protected Cecil’s clean record.

“It makes it so much easier knowing I can throw my pitches, and they’re going to have my back,” Cecil said.

Offensively, senior utility Savannah Pola catalyzed two Bruin rallies in the first and fourth innings, respectively. Pola increased her batting average from a career-low .241 to a .437 clip in 2025 and was the first runner on base in each of UCLA’s rallies.

The two-time Third Team All-Pac-12 selection went 3-for-4, hitting three singles and scoring two runs – getting sent across the plate both times by junior utility Megan Grant.

“It being my senior year, I feel like just having fun and playing free and having no fear of failure – because it’s just softball at the end of the day,” Pola said. “Having that play-free mindset and having fun and enjoying it makes me play at my best.”

A sacrifice fly from freshman infielder/utility Kaniya Bragg and a single to left field from redshirt sophomore catcher/designated player Alexis Ramirez gave UCLA its next two runs of the night.

Despite scoring just one run through the second and third innings, the Bruins consistently found a way to get on base. Three walks from Long Beach pitcher Brynne Nally loaded the bases in the third inning, and Daniel did not let the opportunity slip away – bringing in the Bruins’ fourth run with a sacrifice fly to center field.

After four scoreless innings for the Beach, the Bruins were only two runs away from securing the run-rule victory heading into the bottom of the fourth inning. And Pola delivered again for her third single of the night, which kickstarted a five-run UCLA rally.

With two outs on the board, freshman catcher Sofia Mujica continued the Bruins’ run, notching a two-run pinch hit single.

And Long Beach’s mistakes gave UCLA two more runs, with Slimp scoring off a passed ball and throwing error by catcher Rebekah Durazo. Closing out the game, Maddy Martin walked senior catcher Jayla Castro with bases loaded to give the Bruins their game-clinching run.

“This team has done so many amazing things this year that we, honestly, in the history of UCLA, have just not done well. Showing up on a Tuesday – but not just showing up. They’ve run-ruled teams. They’ve thrown no-no’s,” Inouye-Perez said. “It would have been very easy after a frustrating weekend, not getting the outcome, and just not play well today. And they do just the opposite.”