This post was updated May 24 at 2:41 p.m.

With two outs and a runner on first in the bottom of the seventh, Jordan Woolery – who was 0-for-6 at the plate in the super regional up to that point – stepped up to the batter’s box.

And with the team’s postseason hopes on the line, the junior infielder stepped up when it mattered most – sending the ball flying over the left-field wall, powering the Bruins to a game-3, winner-take-all contest, while simultaneously saving their season in walk-off fashion.

“Coach I (coach Kelly Inouye-Perez) always says the game comes back around,” Woolery said. “I’ve had a rough two days, so trusting that eventually is going to come through, and I just wanted to have my teammates back today.”

Scoring four of its five runs in the seventh inning, No. 9 seed UCLA softball (53-11, 17-5 Big Ten) came from behind to take down No. 8 seed South Carolina (44-16, 13-11 SEC) in game 2 of the NCAA Columbia super regional Saturday at the Carolina Softball Stadium. The winner of Sunday’s game 3 will head to the Women’s College World Series. 

Senior utility Taylor Stephens pinch hit and led off the bottom of the seventh, reaching first base on a walk in just her fifth at-bat of the season. 

While next-up freshman catcher/designated player Sofia Mujica struck out, Stephens reached home on a triple from sophomore pitcher/outfielder Kaitlyn Terry. Senior utility Savannah Pola then singled, scoring Terry and chasing out Gamecocks pitcher Jori Heard from the circle, as starter and SEC All-Defensive Team pitcher Sam Gress returned. 

“Will (Director of Player Development and Data Analytics Will Oldham) told me that, ‘The first pitch is in your wheelhouse,’ so I was going up there swinging no matter what. And that’s what happened, and that was a base hit,” Terry said. “Once I got the hit and could see that I was running around second all the way to third, and knowing that Taylor scored, I knew we were going to win.”

Woolery took Gress’ first pitch and sent it all the way out of the park for the win.

UCLA had fallen behind 4-1 before the seventh. For the second day in a row, the Bruins allowed the Gamecocks to score in the first inning. Junior pitcher Taylor Tinsley allowed the first two runners on base, with a single and a walk, before another single broke open the scoring just a half inning into the contest. 

In the second inning, UCLA had two opportunities at the plate with a runner in scoring position but stranded two on base. And the Bruins followed up with a third inning that Gress needed just four pitches to end.

While Tinsley struck out the first two batters of the fifth inning, an error, a hit by pitch and a walk loaded the bases for the Gamecocks. South Carolina catcher Lexi Winters singled, sending two runners home, opening up the Gamecocks’ lead 3-0. 

After a Gamecocks pitching change, Mujica got the scoring started for the Bruins in the fifth inning with a solo shot to right center.

“When you see Sofia, a freshman, come to the plate and knock one out, I don’t think anyone expected that,” Inouye-Perez said.

But the Bruins couldn’t tack on any more damage.

With one out, the Gamecocks again loaded the bases in the top of the sixth, after Tinsley hit her third batter of the game. A bunt off a swing from utility Quincee Lilio caused confusion between Tinsley and redshirt sophomore catcher/utility Alexis Ramirez, allowing another Gamecock to score.

Tinsley worked her way back to record her seventh strikeout of the game and the second out of the inning, while freshman outfielder Rylee Slimp caught a pop fly in left field to finish the top of the seventh.

Woolery’s homer in the bottom of the seventh sealed the game for the Bruins, staving off what would have been their first super regional sweep ever. 

“Give us one pitch, just one pitch,” Inouye-Perez said. “It’s not about three outs or the bottom of the seventh or what the score is. Give us one pitch, and anything can happen.”

UCLA and South Carolina will meet again Sunday for the final game of the super regional.