University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Friday, April 10
Urbana-Champaign, IL
3:00 PM (PT)
UCLA
35-5, 0
17
at
0
Illinois
11-29, 0
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UCLA | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 14 | 17 | 17 | 0 |
| Illinois | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
Megan Grant
Photo by: UCLA Athletics
No. 10 UCLA Erupts for 14-Run Seventh in 17-0 Rout of Illinois
April 10, 2026 | Softball
URBANA-CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The No. 10 UCLA softball team used an epic 14-run seventh inning to down Illinois, 17-0, in the Big Ten Conference series opener at Eichelberger Field Friday night.
The Bruins (35-5, 14-2 Big Ten) tied a program single-game record with eight total home runs against the Fighting Illini (11-29, 2-10). Six of those eight blasts came in the seventh inning alone, which is tied for second-most in a single frame in NCAA Division I history.
UCLA recorded those six home runs in the seventh thanks to two separate stretches at the plate with back-to-back-to-back jacks. The first group of home run hitters included Megan Grant, Jordan Woolery and Kaniya Bragg. Bragg started the next home run conga line with Alexis Ramirez and Aleena Garcia following her. UCLA totaled 13 hits and hit through the order twice in the 14-run seventh while pinch hitter Soo-Jin Berry recorded three at-bats.
UCLA has now hit back-to-back home runs 12 times this season and back-to-back-to-back home runs four times. Before 2026, the last time the Bruins went back-to-back-to-back in a game was in February 2022. Additionally, Megan Grant and Jordan Woolery have hit back-to-back home runs six times in their storied careers.
Bragg hit two home runs in the seventh alone, joining Grant as the second Bruin this season to homer twice in a single inning (1st inning vs. UC Riverside, Feb. 8).
Grant put up a historic two-homer performance of her own. Her first dinger in the second inning marked her 27th of the season, breaking her Big Ten single-season record of 26 she set as a junior last season. She finished the game 2-for-4 and led the team with five RBIs and three runs scored.
Grant needed 29 fewer games to reach 26 homers this season, tying her record in UCLA's 39th contest of the year. She broke the record with Nos. 27 and 28 in Game 40 tonight.
Seven batters in the Bruins' lineup finished the game with multiple hits. Sophomore Rylee Slimp led the bunch with her second career four-hit game, finishing 4-for-5 with two RBIs, two runs scored and a homer shy of the cycle.
UCLA's single-season home run record now sits at 124 after tonight's offensive onslaught (3.1 HR/GM).
In the circle, senior Taylor Tinsley (20-3) twirled six shutout innings and became a 20-game winner for the first time in her four-year career. Tinsley allowed two hits, issued three walks and struck out six Illinois hitters, including four looking. Brynne Nally put a bow on the victory with one strikeout in a scoreless seventh inning.
Next Up
UCLA looks to secure its fifth Big Ten series win of the season in Game 2 against Illinois tomorrow at 11 a.m. (PT). The contest will be streamed on BigTenPlus.com.
The Bruins (35-5, 14-2 Big Ten) tied a program single-game record with eight total home runs against the Fighting Illini (11-29, 2-10). Six of those eight blasts came in the seventh inning alone, which is tied for second-most in a single frame in NCAA Division I history.
UCLA recorded those six home runs in the seventh thanks to two separate stretches at the plate with back-to-back-to-back jacks. The first group of home run hitters included Megan Grant, Jordan Woolery and Kaniya Bragg. Bragg started the next home run conga line with Alexis Ramirez and Aleena Garcia following her. UCLA totaled 13 hits and hit through the order twice in the 14-run seventh while pinch hitter Soo-Jin Berry recorded three at-bats.
The Bruins have hit eight home runs in a game two other times in team history, both coming earlier this season against Rutgers (March 21) and UC Riverside (Feb. 8). Before 2026, the program single-game home run record was seven most recently accomplished in 2013.ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?
— UCLA Softball (@UCLASoftball) April 11, 2026
UCLA goes BACK-TO-BACK-TO-BACK for the SECOND time this inning! ????
??: B1G+ pic.twitter.com/KLgZm0LbzR
UCLA has now hit back-to-back home runs 12 times this season and back-to-back-to-back home runs four times. Before 2026, the last time the Bruins went back-to-back-to-back in a game was in February 2022. Additionally, Megan Grant and Jordan Woolery have hit back-to-back home runs six times in their storied careers.
Bragg hit two home runs in the seventh alone, joining Grant as the second Bruin this season to homer twice in a single inning (1st inning vs. UC Riverside, Feb. 8).
Grant put up a historic two-homer performance of her own. Her first dinger in the second inning marked her 27th of the season, breaking her Big Ten single-season record of 26 she set as a junior last season. She finished the game 2-for-4 and led the team with five RBIs and three runs scored.
Grant needed 29 fewer games to reach 26 homers this season, tying her record in UCLA's 39th contest of the year. She broke the record with Nos. 27 and 28 in Game 40 tonight.
Grant's second blast of the night was the first of UCLA's six home runs in the seventh inning. She now has nine career multi-homer games, which is tied for third-most in UCLA history. With 28 home runs on the season, Grant is three shy of tying Stacey Nuveman's program record of 31 set in 1999.CHEF BREAKS HER RECORD! ???????@ChefMeganCookin launches her @BigTen-record 27th home run of the year!
— UCLA Softball (@UCLASoftball) April 10, 2026
??: B1G+ pic.twitter.com/dGLlX2LAvU
Seven batters in the Bruins' lineup finished the game with multiple hits. Sophomore Rylee Slimp led the bunch with her second career four-hit game, finishing 4-for-5 with two RBIs, two runs scored and a homer shy of the cycle.
UCLA's single-season home run record now sits at 124 after tonight's offensive onslaught (3.1 HR/GM).
In the circle, senior Taylor Tinsley (20-3) twirled six shutout innings and became a 20-game winner for the first time in her four-year career. Tinsley allowed two hits, issued three walks and struck out six Illinois hitters, including four looking. Brynne Nally put a bow on the victory with one strikeout in a scoreless seventh inning.
Next Up
UCLA looks to secure its fifth Big Ten series win of the season in Game 2 against Illinois tomorrow at 11 a.m. (PT). The contest will be streamed on BigTenPlus.com.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Tinsley, Taylor (20-3)
L: Yergler,K (2-14)
Batting:
2B: Slimp, Rylee 1 ; Garcia, Aleena 1
3B: Slimp, Rylee 1
HR: Grant, Megan 2 ; Woolery, Jordan 1 ; Bragg, Kaniya 2 ; Ramirez, Alexis 1 ; Garcia, Aleena 1 ; Alejandre, Bri 1
RBI: Slimp, Rylee 2 ; Grant, Megan 5 ; Woolery, Jordan 1 ; Bragg, Kaniya 4 ; Ramirez, Alexis 1 ; Garcia, Aleena 1 ; Alejandre, Bri 1 ; Suarez, Ramsey 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Slimp, Rylee 2 ; Grant, Megan 3 ; Woolery, Jordan 2 ; Bragg, Kaniya 2 ; Ramirez, Alexis 2 ; Garcia, Aleena 2 ; Alejandre, Bri 2 ; Meoño, Saydrie 1 ; Berry, Soo-Jin 1
Batting:
2B: Cushing,E 1
Base Running:
HBP: Haggard,E 1
Game Leaders
AB
5
R
2
H
4
RBI
2
AB
4
R
3
H
2
RBI
5
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
1
AB
5
R
2
H
2
RBI
4
Players Mentioned
UTIL
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/ SoftballUTIL
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P
/ Softball
C
/ SoftballOF
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/ SoftballINF
/ SoftballHighlights - UCLA Softball at Illinois (April 10, 2026)
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