Great teams persevere through adversity.

With a midweek matchup in Fullerton, California, No. 9 UCLA softball (33-5, Big Ten 13-2) will face Cal State Fullerton (24-11, Big West 13-2). The squad has the chance to continue its success Tuesday after breaking its 22-game winning streak March 27 in Lincoln.

UCLA fell to then-No. 6 Nebraska in two out of the three games of the weekend series, receiving its first conference losses of the season. The Cornhusker bullpen held the Bruins to single-digit runs in all the three contests. They have plated double-digit runs in 22 contests this season.

The team responded, collecting a win against Hawaiʻi and a series sweep against Indiana.

Despite the recent setback, the squad has already achieved several hitting feats, setting a program record with 111 home runs.

“I’m super proud because anytime you reach milestones, it’s when preparation meets opportunity,” coach Kelly Inouye-Perez said. “You have a very coachable group of great athletes, and I have an outstanding staff that makes game plans for them and they prepare them so things like this happen. But I told the team, it’s their commitment to the process that allows for these great accolades to happen.”

Seniors utility Megan Grant and infielder Jordan Woolery have received much of the media attention associated with the team’s success. They lead the team in several statistical categories, such as batting average along with slugging and on-base percentages, and are among the best hitters in the nation.

But this lineup boasts depth that may fly under the radar.

Sophomore outfielder Rylee Slimp often bats in the leadoff spot. She ties the third-best batting average on the team with a .437 clip. The outfielder leads the Bruins in runs with 59 and ranks second on the team in hits with 52.

Slimp is coming off a dominant game-one performance against Indiana, where she had four hits, a home run and three RBIs. Slimp has helped UCLA propel forward after making the Big Ten All-Freshman team in 2025.

Standout freshman infielder Bri Alejandre has also been a major contributor, batting .325 while tying for the most doubles on the team with 11. She is also third on the team in four-baggers with 13.

“They (coaching staff members) have let us be free in our swings and also in practices,” Grant said. “They’ve trained us really hard and so when we get to the game, it feels a lot easier and with that. Our mindsets shifted this year, and we knew we were going to bring the bats in. We just had that confidence going in.”

But the Bruins’ struggles in their five losses are not due to a lack of offensive spark.

Their pitching rotation has allowed 161 runs.

Senior pitcher Taylor Tinsley leads the squad with a 2.68 ERA, while the rest of the Bruin’s arms all boast a plus-five ERAs.

Pitcher/utility Natalie Cable has a 5.56 ERA, yet holds just one loss. But as her freshman season continues, she has the chance to gain experience that results in more lucrative outings.

“I’m getting comfortable with the team and knowing that they have my back,” Cable said. “We’re all continuing to get better, so just having that in mind as a team. Keeping that in mind, it helps me just be myself and just do what I do.”

With a sense of big wins in the air as the UCLA women’s basketball team took home the national championship, UCLA softball has the chance to keep the winning spirits high Tuesday.