Not long after she put together a terrific performance for the years, following one with three homers and another, UCLA’s Aleena Garcia found herself in a slump.
When a reporter mentioned that the Bruins softball team had broken the NCAA record 200 home runs en route to a third straight Women’s College World Series, Garcia opened her mouth in surprise before covering it with her hand.
Yes, this case is something.
After a second straight loss to Central Florida in the NCAA Tournament Super Regional on Saturday night at Easton Stadium in Los Angeles, one might take UCLA’s offensive record book and write “2026” next to everything.
A redshirt freshman, Garcia set a school postseason record with seven home runs in the Bruins’ 14-4 victory over the Knights that completed a two-game sweep of the best-of-three series by a 23-5 margin.
“What a dynamic program,” Central Florida coach Cindy Ball-Malone said understated after UCLA hit .360 with a .535 on-base percentage in the series.
Even with the Knights surrounding UCLA slugger Megan Grant — who walked her six times during her seven plate appearances in two games — they couldn’t solve the rest of the Bruins’ lineup.
Bri Alejandre and Alexis Ramirez also played for UCLA (52-8) on Saturday, giving the Bruins seven homers in two games — and extending their NCAA single-season record.
“I knew we had a lot of home runs, but I didn’t know it was 200,” Garcia said with a laugh. “This band, we make a lot of records, but that’s not our main goal – we focus on the process and what it takes to pick those records and put them on their own.”
UCLA’s 651 runs this season broke the NCAA record of 638 set by Oklahoma in 2021. The Bruins posted a .385 batting average, .496 on-base percentage and .836 slugging percentage – all on pace for school records.
“The hitters are individuals — it’s an individual opportunity — but this team plays as a unit,” UCLA coach Kelly Inouye-Perez said, “and it starts at the top — the coaches come down to the players, they buy the team over them.”
What does it mean
UCLA will head to college softball’s biggest division with a proven formula – a great offense paired with Taylor Tinsley’s relentless pitching.
Tinsley (32-6) pitched all over the Bruins in two Super Regional games, notching a postseason-high 11 strikeouts on Saturday. He also picked up a win in each of the team’s last four NCAA Tournament appearances.
A place to change
After Central Florida (41-19-1) pulled to within 6-4 in the fifth inning, Garcia belted his second three-run homer in the sixth to secure the Bruins’ 34th trip to the WCWS.
MVP: Aleena Garcia
Garcia’s big outing also revealed the depth of the batting order with no weak spots.
Rylee Slimp’s 14 leadoff hitters are more than any other team’s hitter total and Jolyna Lamar, who hit No. 9, is hitting .336.
Next
The eighth-seeded Bruins will face top-seeded Alabama in the WCWS opener in Oklahoma City at a date and time to be announced.
