The No. 7 UCLA softball team take the Big Ten Conference series opener 7-5 against the No. 22 Washington Huskies at Husky Softball Stadium in Seattle, Wash. on Friday.
The Bruins last stepped onto the softball diamond against California in their doubleheader on Saturday, April 18. UCLA didn't seem to have to knock off any rust against their Big Ten foe with runs in six of the seven innings. In Washington's half of the innings, senior pitcher Taylor Tinsley gave the Huskies plenty of trouble by holding them scoreless in five of her seven innings.
UCLA's first run of the day came in the top of the first with a home run by star senior Megan Grant. The Bruins got two runners on base in the top of the second off of their two hits, but neither of their runners were able to step across home plate.
Grant stepped back up to bat in the top of the third and blasted her second home run of the game to center field. After Tinsley kept the bases clean in the bottom of the third, freshman infielder Bri Alejandre stepped up to the plate and got UCLA's third home run of the game to put the Bruins up 3-0 heading into the fifth.
UCLA plated another run in the top of the fifth, but the quiet Washington Huskies finally get one of their runners home with a home run to center field.
In the top of the sixth, the Bruins continue to put up runs with their two hits leading to another base runner stepping across home plate. Washington got the comeback they needed to get back into the game with three runners on base scoring off of a double. The Huskies were able to get a fourth runner home with another double to tie the game up.
UCLA didn't let the game stay tied for long. In the top of the seventh, Alejandre hit a two-run homer, her second home run of the game. Washington couldn't get on base in the bottom of the seventh and the Bruins took the win even after the Huskies' comeback attempt.
The Bruins will play the Huskies for their second game on Wednesday with an anticipated start time of 3 p.m. PT.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: UCLA softball hold off Washington's late comeback to take opener