University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
UCLA
26-3, 7-0
Rutgers
16-13, 3-4
UCLA Ties Program Record With Eight Homers in 16-5 Win at Rutgers
March 21, 2026 | Softball
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The Bruins (26-3, 7-0 Big Ten) matched their season-high home run total set earlier this year, with round-trippers from Bri Alejandre, Kaniya Bragg, Megan Grant, Jolyna Lamar, Rylee Slimp and Ramsey Suarez in front of a record crowd of 2,107 fans in the first-ever night game at the Rutgers Softball Complex. Alejandre and Bragg each homered twice, marking the second multi-home run games of their careers.
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UCLA previously hit eight home runs against UC Riverside on Feb. 8 at Easton Stadium. Prior to 2026, the program record was seven, last accomplished in 2013.
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With the eight-homer performance, UCLA extended its streak to 21 consecutive games with at least one home run and 14 straight with multiple home runs. The Bruins also pushed their winning streak to 20 games, the second-longest in the country behind Texas, and recorded their 18th run-rule win of the season.
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UCLA hit four home runs in the second inning alone, tied for the second-most in a single frame in program history. Bragg, Alejandre and Suarez went back-to-back-to-back, homering to right, left and center field, respectively, marking the second time in as many weeks the Bruins have accomplished the feat. UCLA has now hit back-to-back home runs in five straight games. Slimp capped the inning with a two-run homer to left field, her second straight game with a home run. Catcher Alexis Ramirez added an RBI double over a leaping Rutgers center fielder.
Our FOURTH home run of the inning! ????@RyleeSlimp29 goes deep for a second straight game!
โ UCLA Softball (@UCLASoftball) March 21, 2026
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??: https://t.co/xQPMxWxxFe#GoBruins pic.twitter.com/5p3d12N3yr
Rutgers (16-13, 3-4 Big Ten) responded with a three-run rally with two outs in the bottom half of the inning to cut the deficit to 6-3. The first two runs scored on a Little League home run by Addie Osborne after a relay throw from shortstop Aleena Garcia squirted away from Ramirez at the plate. The third run came on a single to center by Sam Rohwer. On the play, Lamar threw home and Ramirez applied the tag, but the runner was ruled safe due to obstruction.
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UCLA added two runs in the third inning. Aleena Garcia doubled down the left-field line to drive in a run, and Slimp drew a bases-loaded walk to make the score 8-3.
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The Bruins broke the game open in the fourth, scoring seven runs behind three more home runs. Alejandre hit a two-run shot to left-center, Lamar followed with a three-run home run to center and Grant added a two-run blast. Grant's home run was her conference-leading 22nd of the season. She has reached base in all 29 games this year and in 38 consecutive games dating to last season's NCAA Regionals.
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Bragg bookended the scoring with her second home run of the game, an opposite-field shot to right in the fifth inning.
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โ UCLA Softball (@UCLASoftball) March 21, 2026
UCLA ties a program record with its 8th homer of the ballgame! @KaniyaBragg hits her second tonight! pic.twitter.com/y5kVzogmcQ
Senior right-hander Taylor Tinsley recorded her 10th complete game of the season, allowing five runs (two earned) on three hits with a career-high six walks. The Lawrenceville, Georgia, native improved to 15-2, giving her the second-most wins in the NCAA.
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Next Up
UCLA looks to secure its third straight Big Ten Conference series win tomorrow versus Rutgers at 2 p.m. (PT)/5 p.m. (ET). Each of the last two games of the series will be televised on the Big Ten Network.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Tinsley, Taylor (15-2)
L: Hoekstra, K (4-4)
Batting:
2B: Garcia, Aleena 1 ; Ramirez, Alexis 1
HR: Slimp, Rylee 1 ; Grant, Megan 1 ; Bragg, Kaniya 2 ; Alejandre, Bri 2 ; Suarez, Ramsey 1 ; Lamar, Jolyna 1
RBI: Slimp, Rylee 3 ; Grant, Megan 2 ; Bragg, Kaniya 2 ; Alejandre, Bri 3 ; Suarez, Ramsey 1 ; Garcia, Aleena 1 ; Ramirez, Alexis 1 ; Lamar, Jolyna 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Slimp, Rylee 2 ; Grant, Megan 1 ; Bragg, Kaniya 4 ; Alejandre, Bri 2 ; Suarez, Ramsey 1 ; Pinedo, Rylee 1 ; Garcia, Aleena 2 ; Ramirez, Alexis 2 ; Lamar, Jolyna 1
SB: Garcia, Aleena 1
HBP: Garcia, Aleena 1
Batting:
2B: Osborne, A 1
HR: Burtis, B 1
RBI: Rohwer, S 1 ; Burtis, B 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Delhoyo, S 1 ; Burtis, B 1 ; Hoekstra, S 1 ; Osborne, A 1 ; Schuettler 1
