Softball Rallies on Senior Day for 11-7 Comeback Win Over Arizona
LOS ANGELES – The No. 9 UCLA softball scored 11 unanswered runs to overcome a seven-run deficit and defeat No. 19 Arizona, 11-7, on Senior Day at Easton Stadium Sunday. It was the largest comeback victory in program history.
Sharlize Palacios stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and the Bruins (30-10, 14-4 Pac-12) trailing the Wildcats (32-15-1, 13-11 Pac-12), 7-3. With one swing of the bat, Palacios tied up the game on a grand slam over the left-center field wall to cap a miracle seven-run comeback. Palacios now has seven grand slams in her career and two this season.
Freshman left-handed pitcher Kaitlyn Terry started the game and surrendered seven earned runs over the first three innings. Meanwhile, Arizona starter Aissa Silva retired 12 straight UCLA batters to start the game with her squad one run away from a potential run-rule victory through four innings. Silva's perfect game bid came to a crashing end in the bottom half of the fifth.
Sophomore Megan Grant hit a solo shot just inches above the center field wall to scratch UCLA's first hit and run on the scoreboard. One out later, Taylor Stephens and Ramsey Suarez laced a pair of singles to right field and through the 5-6 hole, respectively. Suarez now has four pinch hits in each of her last at-bats at Easton Stadium. The next batter, Thessa Malau'ulu, walked to load the bases. An infield pop out by Savannah Pola brought Maya Brady to the plate, still looking for her first hit of the day. With two outs, Brady fisted the first pitch she saw over the head of Arizona's third baseman for a two-RBI double to cut the deficit to four runs, 7-3.
Jadelyn Allchin was hit on the first pitch of her at-bat to load the bases again, this time for Palacios. The senior catcher's game-tying blast marked her second home run of the series. In her last five games against Arizona, Palacios has recorded 15 runs batted in and four home runs dating back to the 2023 regular-season series. All three of Palacios' home runs against Arizona have either tied up the game or gave the Bruins the lead.
Terry buckled down in the second half of her outing with only two hits and one walk over the final three innings. The freshman southpaw faced trouble only once after her team tied up the game. After allowing the first two runners on base in the sixth, Terry struck out Arizona's average leader, the slap-hitting Regan Shockey, for the first out and induced a pop out to Brady at shortstop and a fly out to center field to end the inning.
The Bruins continued to apply the pressure in the bottom of the sixth inning. Sophomore Jordan Woolery sparked a four-run rally with a leadoff double. A sacrifice bunt by Stephens moved Woolery's pinch runner, Lauren Hatch, 60 feet closer to home. Malau'ulu, in front of a large contingent of friends and family, drove in the go-ahead run on a single up the middle. Malau'ulu's hit started a string of five consecutive hits by the Bruins' seniors. Janelle Meoño dug into the box next with Arizona shifting its center fielder into the infield. Meoño, normally a slap hitter, was signaled to swing away by third base coach Kirk Walker and smacked a single into left to continue the rally. Brady followed Meoño with her second RBI base hit of the day – a single that dropped in front of Arizona's right fielder. Allchin then pushed a single through the right side to plate two and cushion the lead, 11-7. Palacios concluded the stretch with another base hit. All four seniors – Meoño, Brady, Allchin and Palacios – played travel ball together.
UCLA returns to action Tuesday, April 30 for a midweek contest versus CSUN at Matador Diamond at 2 p.m. (PT).