UCLA Softball's Season Ends in College World Series

The UCLA softball team was eliminated on Sunday in the College World Series by Texas Tech in an 8-7 extra innings thriller.

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The Bruins nearly mounted yet another comeback, scoring a run and then having runners on first and second in the 9th inning down 8-7. In the next two at-bats, though, the Bruins popped up to shallow left field and then struck out looking.

UCLA lost to Alabama in the opening game 6-3, but then beat Arkansas on Friday to stave off elimination, winning that game 11-0. The road ended against the Red Raiders, though, on Sunday evening.

The Bruins finished the season 53-10, and played their best ball in the early rounds of the postseason, sweeping through the Regionals and Super Regionals with five straight wins. Led by their offense all season, ultimately, UCLA lacked a little in power pitching, which can come back to bite you in the postseason.

That said, pitcher Taylor Tinsley put forth a warrior effort in the final game, going all nine innings and throwing 180 pitches. The Bruins were going to need to beat Alabama twice tomorrow even if they had advanced, and that might have been too much to ask after she just pitched a full nine.

This was a year for offense for the softball team, though, with Megan Grant setting an NCAA record for home runs with 42, and Jordan Woolery not far behind with 34. It was a wildly impressive and fun offensive team this season, but obviously the team fell short of the championship expectations for UCLA softball.

This was the third straight appearance in the WCWS for the Bruins, and fifth in seven years.