LOS ANGELES – The No. 9-ranked UCLA softball team slugged four home runs, including two grand slams, to defeat No. 21 Ohio State, 14-6, in a five-inning Big Ten Conference contest at Easton Stadium Friday night.
Junior first baseman Megan Grant hit a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the fifth inning for her second homer of the night to deliver the Bruins' (35-5, 8-1 Big Ten) 22nd mercy-rule victory of the year, marking a new program single-season record.
Grant, who logged her third career multi-homer performance, finished with a career-high seven runs batted in. Grant's other home run was a three-run shot in the bottom of the second.
"It was an insane game, to say the least," Grant said. "I was extremely caught up in the moment, so I wasn't even thinking about anything else. Honestly, it was a blackout moment."
Twelve of UCLA's 14 runs were scored from the four homers. The Bruins' offense totaled 14 hits with half of those going for extra bases. All nine batters in the UCLA starting lineup recorded a base hit. In addition to Grant, five other Bruins recorded multiple hits Friday night. Senior second baseman Savannah Pola finished a homer shy of the cycle, going 3-for-4 with a bunt double and triple.
Left-handed starting pitcher Kaitlyn Terry hit the first of UCLA's two grand slams of the game in an eight-run second inning, giving herself a 5-2 lead after surrendering two solo shots to the Buckeyes (30-8-1, 6-3 Big Ten) in the top of the first. The blast that just flew over the center field wall was the first homer of her collegiate career.
Freshman left fielder Rylee Slimp sparked the Bruins' eight-run second inning with a base hit up the middle. The next batter, freshman Kaniya Bragg, got on base with her 18th hit-by-pitch of the year, establishing a new UCLA single-season record previously held by Crissy Buck (17 HBP in 2002). A third straight freshman Sofia Mujica stepped to the plate and hit a laser in between Buckeye shortstop Kami Kortokrax's legs to load the bases for designated player Alexis Ramirez. Ramirez worked a four-pitch walk to bring home the Bruins' first run of the ballgame and trim the lead to one at 2-1.
Terry, the fifth straight batter of the second inning to reach base, launched a grand slam on a 2-1 count to give herself a 5-2 lead that she would not surrender for the rest of the night.
The Bruins' second inning offensive onslaught continued with two outs after Pola hit a triple to center field. After a walk to UCLA's No. 3 hitter Jordan Woolery, Grant hit a towering shot to right field for a three-run homer and extend the lead to 8-2. Ohio State worked around Woolery, the Big Ten leader in home runs entering the contest, all night with a pair of four-pitch walks to face Grant. Unfortunately for the Buckeyes, Grant gobbled up each opportunity with runners in scoring position.
Terry rode the six-run cushion throughout the rest of her start in the circle to pick up her 14th win of the season. She fought through three Ohio State home runs in her 5.0-inning complete game outing, including two off the bat of Jasmyn Burns. Terry finished the night with seven strikeouts and allowed seven hits and three walks.
The Buckeyes answered in the top half of the third inning with three runs off a two-run shot by Burns for her second homer of the night and an RBI triple by Kaitlyn Farley. Ohio State head coach Kirin Kumar, also coaching third base, sent Farley home to attempt an inside-the-parker but was denied on an excellent one-hop throw by UCLA center fielder Jessica Clements to Mujica to keep the lead at 8-5.
A fielding error by Kortokrax at shortstop on a ball hit by Clements and the 200th base hit of Pola's career put two on board for the Bruins' RBI leader Woolery in the bottom of the third. The Walnut Creek, Calif. native smacked an RBI single through the 5-6 hole to score Clements from second base the margin to 9-5.
Terry put forth a shutdown inning with two strikeouts in the top of the fourth, retiring the side for the first time of the night. In the bottom half, Bragg hit a line drive home run to center field for a key insurance run.
Terry faced more trouble in the top of the fifth when she loaded the bases on a single and two walks to the first three batters she faced, bringing up Burns who already had two homers on the evening. The Buckeye bomber came just two feet short of a grand slam and her third homer of the game to center field, but Clements coasted under the ball for the out and settled for the sacrifice fly out. With two runners on board, Terry sent down Ohio State's No. 5 and No. 6 hitters down looking on strikes to get out of the jam.
Clements led off the game-deciding bottom of the fifth with a double into the left center gap. Pola followed with a bunt double to put two in scoring position. Woolery was walked on four straight pitches again, loading the bases for the game-winning, mercy-rule run in Grant. Grant, the other half to the Bruins' slugging duo, emptied the bases for a game-ending grand slam and her 17th homer of the year.
Next Up
UCLA and Ohio State meet tomorrow afternoon at 4 p.m. (PT) at Easton Stadium for the series finale. The contest will be streamed on BigTenPlus.com (B1G+).
Junior first baseman Megan Grant hit a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the fifth inning for her second homer of the night to deliver the Bruins' (35-5, 8-1 Big Ten) 22nd mercy-rule victory of the year, marking a new program single-season record.
MEGAN GRANT WALKS IT OFF IN GRAND FASHION!!
— UCLA Softball (@UCLASoftball) April 5, 2025
UCLA'S SECOND GRAND SLAM OF THE NIGHT!! GRANT'S SECOND HOMER OF THE NIGHT!!#GoBruins | @chefmegancookin pic.twitter.com/0O4D1lCJgW
Grant, who logged her third career multi-homer performance, finished with a career-high seven runs batted in. Grant's other home run was a three-run shot in the bottom of the second.
"It was an insane game, to say the least," Grant said. "I was extremely caught up in the moment, so I wasn't even thinking about anything else. Honestly, it was a blackout moment."
Twelve of UCLA's 14 runs were scored from the four homers. The Bruins' offense totaled 14 hits with half of those going for extra bases. All nine batters in the UCLA starting lineup recorded a base hit. In addition to Grant, five other Bruins recorded multiple hits Friday night. Senior second baseman Savannah Pola finished a homer shy of the cycle, going 3-for-4 with a bunt double and triple.
Left-handed starting pitcher Kaitlyn Terry hit the first of UCLA's two grand slams of the game in an eight-run second inning, giving herself a 5-2 lead after surrendering two solo shots to the Buckeyes (30-8-1, 6-3 Big Ten) in the top of the first. The blast that just flew over the center field wall was the first homer of her collegiate career.
Freshman left fielder Rylee Slimp sparked the Bruins' eight-run second inning with a base hit up the middle. The next batter, freshman Kaniya Bragg, got on base with her 18th hit-by-pitch of the year, establishing a new UCLA single-season record previously held by Crissy Buck (17 HBP in 2002). A third straight freshman Sofia Mujica stepped to the plate and hit a laser in between Buckeye shortstop Kami Kortokrax's legs to load the bases for designated player Alexis Ramirez. Ramirez worked a four-pitch walk to bring home the Bruins' first run of the ballgame and trim the lead to one at 2-1.
Terry, the fifth straight batter of the second inning to reach base, launched a grand slam on a 2-1 count to give herself a 5-2 lead that she would not surrender for the rest of the night.
The Bruins' second inning offensive onslaught continued with two outs after Pola hit a triple to center field. After a walk to UCLA's No. 3 hitter Jordan Woolery, Grant hit a towering shot to right field for a three-run homer and extend the lead to 8-2. Ohio State worked around Woolery, the Big Ten leader in home runs entering the contest, all night with a pair of four-pitch walks to face Grant. Unfortunately for the Buckeyes, Grant gobbled up each opportunity with runners in scoring position.
Terry rode the six-run cushion throughout the rest of her start in the circle to pick up her 14th win of the season. She fought through three Ohio State home runs in her 5.0-inning complete game outing, including two off the bat of Jasmyn Burns. Terry finished the night with seven strikeouts and allowed seven hits and three walks.
The Buckeyes answered in the top half of the third inning with three runs off a two-run shot by Burns for her second homer of the night and an RBI triple by Kaitlyn Farley. Ohio State head coach Kirin Kumar, also coaching third base, sent Farley home to attempt an inside-the-parker but was denied on an excellent one-hop throw by UCLA center fielder Jessica Clements to Mujica to keep the lead at 8-5.
A fielding error by Kortokrax at shortstop on a ball hit by Clements and the 200th base hit of Pola's career put two on board for the Bruins' RBI leader Woolery in the bottom of the third. The Walnut Creek, Calif. native smacked an RBI single through the 5-6 hole to score Clements from second base the margin to 9-5.
Terry put forth a shutdown inning with two strikeouts in the top of the fourth, retiring the side for the first time of the night. In the bottom half, Bragg hit a line drive home run to center field for a key insurance run.
Terry faced more trouble in the top of the fifth when she loaded the bases on a single and two walks to the first three batters she faced, bringing up Burns who already had two homers on the evening. The Buckeye bomber came just two feet short of a grand slam and her third homer of the game to center field, but Clements coasted under the ball for the out and settled for the sacrifice fly out. With two runners on board, Terry sent down Ohio State's No. 5 and No. 6 hitters down looking on strikes to get out of the jam.
Clements led off the game-deciding bottom of the fifth with a double into the left center gap. Pola followed with a bunt double to put two in scoring position. Woolery was walked on four straight pitches again, loading the bases for the game-winning, mercy-rule run in Grant. Grant, the other half to the Bruins' slugging duo, emptied the bases for a game-ending grand slam and her 17th homer of the year.
Next Up
UCLA and Ohio State meet tomorrow afternoon at 4 p.m. (PT) at Easton Stadium for the series finale. The contest will be streamed on BigTenPlus.com (B1G+).