UCLA senior Megan Grant at the plate in Friday’s NCAA softball Super Regional opener, a 9-1 Bruins win over University of Central Florida.
The chase for the NCAA softball single-season record tightened up Friday night as Super Regional play opened around the nation.
UCLA senior Megan Grant opened the day as the all-time single-season leader with 40 home runs on the year, having broken the previous record of 37 homers, set by Arizona’s Laura Espinoza, with a blast May 8 in UCLA’s 7-2 Big Ten Tournament loss to Nebraska. Grant went on to club two more homers last weekend in the Bruins’ regional playoff series.
Oklahoma has a freshman breathing down Grant’s neck, however. The Sooners opened Super Regional play at home against. Mississippi State with catcher Kendall Wells sitting on 37 home runs on the season, and the freshman added to that total with two home runs Friday in an 11-9 loss.
Grant didn’t register an at-bat Friday in the Bruins’ 9-1 win over University of Central Florida, getting the Barry Bonds treatment by being walked in each of her three plate appearances. Grant now holds a one-home run lead for the national leads, and the all-time single season mark, with 40, while Wells has 39.
UCLA got plenty of power, with home runs from Rylee Slimp, Bri Alejandre and Kaniya Bragg.
Grant is one home run shy of UCLA’s all-time career home run mark. The senior out of Aragon High School has 89 home runs in her collegiate career. Stacey Nuveman — whose single-season home run mark Grant broke earlier this season — is the Bruins’ career record holder with 90.
Both teams are back at it Saturday, with UCLA looking to sweep its best-of-three series with a 7 p.m. start. The game is scheduled to be broadcast on ESPN. Oklahoma starts Game 2 play at 10 a.m. PT, also scheduled to be broadcast on ESPN.
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CA Is Burning said:
Guest876589 said:
TrueLocalGal said:
What an amazing story. There is always hope
CA Is Burning said:
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