Bats often go silent under the bright lights and towering expectations of the postseason.

But when two of the top pitchers in the country – All-American selections NiJaree Canady and junior Taylor Tinsley – face off on softball’s biggest stage, coaches have to resort to other tactics to get runners across the plate.

In the top of the fifth inning, pinch runner Makayla Garcia stole home while redshirt sophomore designated player/catcher Alexis Ramirez threw the ball back to Tinsley, not paying attention to the runner streaking toward the plate.

“I really thought that she (Ramirez) would stand up and not throw to second, but I thought she would just flip it to the pitcher. And I knew that we had to go – we had to just take off to home in order to make it,” said Texas Tech coach Gerry Glasco. “That stuff was one of the moments where luck was on our side, or fate was on our side.”

After a scoreless first four innings, No. 9 seed UCLA softball (55-12, 17-5 Big Ten) lost to No. 12 seed Texas Tech (52-12, 20-4 Big 12) by a score of 3-1 on Saturday in its second game of the Women’s College World Series at Devon Park on Oklahoma City. The Bruins must now battle through the loser’s bracket, one loss away from heading back to Westwood empty handed.

“​​The big thing with this team is that we have a really short-term memory,” Tinsley said. “This game is already as old as dirt for us, so we’re just ready to get back out there.”

Despite ultimately losing the matchup, UCLA held its own against Texas Tech’s batters, preventing the Red Raiders from recording a hit until the fifth frame.

From senior second baseman Savannah Pola’s double play in the top of the second to junior third baseman Jordan Woolery reaching over the broadcast cameras to catch a pop fly in the third, the Bruins worked together to keep Texas Tech off the board.

“Having each other’s back on defense and offense – if somebody makes an error, we know that the next one is going to be put out by anybody on the field and on offense,” said freshman infielder/utility Kaniya Bragg.

And Bragg had the Bruins’ back. The 2024 CIF Player of the Year sent a game-tying shot over the right field wall in UCLA’s very next at-bat – her first career postseason home run.

But eventually, first baseman Lauren Allred broke through UCLA’s defense, sending a single to left field and marking Texas Tech’s first hit of the game.

And from there, the Red Raiders’ offense was awoken. 

Canady launched a ball to the right field wall, which ricocheted behind sophomore pitcher/outfielder Kaitlyn Terry and put two Red Raiders in scoring position. 

Unlike the Bruins, who failed to capitalize on loaded bases and one out in the bottom of the second inning, the Red Raiders did not let this opportunity go to waste.

Despite Ramirez tagging out Allred running from third base to home, Garcia stole home, leaving the Bruins’ crowd stunned.

“It was really unexpected,” Bragg said. “But we just flushed it down and forget about it, so that way we can find a way to get the momentum back.”

But even after Bragg’s game-tying homer, the Red Raiders quickly responded with a home run of their own. Nearly replicating Bragg’s bomb, shortstop Hailey Toney blasted a ball over the right field wall in the top of the sixth to take back a lead Texas Tech would keep for the rest of the night.

Tinsley’s only walk of the game put an insurance run on base for the Red Raiders in the top of the seventh, which pinch hitter Raegan Jennings’ RBI single brought home to give Texas Tech a two-run lead heading into UCLA’s final at-bats.

Canady – the 2025 NFCA Pitcher of the Year – was expected to be a challenge for the Bruins’ offense, and she held UCLA to 4-for-25 as a whole while also striking out seven. 

Woolery and junior first baseman Megan Grant, who became UCLA’s single-season RBI leading duo on May 18 in the NCAA Los Angeles regional final, went hitless against Canady. Meanwhile, Pola – UCLA’s batting average leader – struck out against Canady.

That trend continued after the Red Raiders stole home, as Texas Tech recorded six consecutive outs following Bragg’s home run.

“Every team here, they’re here to compete,” said coach Kelly Inouye-Perez. “So as balls and strikes, different speeds, different zones, at the end of the day, we’re going to set a game plan and do what we do.”

Down by two runs in the seventh, back-to-back singles from Ramirez and freshman left fielder Rylee Slimp – who was the only Bruin to record multiple hits against Canady – set Bragg up for UCLA’s third walkoff of the postseason. 

“The freshmen that are playing, it’s awesome,” Inouye-Perez said. “It’s a big part of our program. Freshmen come in, they play, and they get stronger, and they get more experience, and it’s a big part of what’s going to allow them to create some really great memories as Bruins.”

But ultimately the Red Raiders would hold off the Bruins, leaving UCLA’s tying runs stranded on base.

UCLA will play No. 7 seed Tennessee on Sunday at noon in a win-or-go-home matchup.