UCLA softballs season ends with Womens College World Series heartbreaker after late rally

With every pitch she threw, Kaitlyn Terry reminded the UCLA softball team how it had reached this spot.Essentially down to one pitcher, needing a heroic effort from Taylor Tinsley in one postseason game after another.It was only a year ago that Terry and Tinsley had been teammates, leading the Bruins to the Women’s College World Series as one of the nation’s top pitching duos.When Terry transferred to Texas Tech after the season, that left only Tinsley.Despite her best efforts, UCLA coach Kelly Inouye-Perez couldn’t find another pitcher she trusted as much as Tinsley.So the Bruins rode their ace … and rode her … and rode her until the season’s end.That conclusion came Sunday night, back on college softball’s biggest stage at Devon Park in Oklahoma City.Pitching five strong innings out of the bullpen while also delivering the big hit in the ninth inning, Terry and her new team defeated Tinsley and UCLA, 8-7, overcoming some late pop from the Bruins’ historic offense in an elimination game that ended their season.It was an emotional farewell, slugger Jordan Woolery sobbing on the field as she embraced teammate Megan Grant and hitting coach Lisa Fernandez.“They now go down in history as two of the greatest ball players that have played Division I softball,” Inouye-Perez said of the duo who finished their careers with a combined 170 home runs, including 78 this season.Once again Sunday, the long ball was at the heart of another Bruin rally.Down by three runs entering the bottom of the seventh, Ramsey Suarez hit a leadoff homer off Terry.That prompted the Red Raiders to go back to right-hander Nijaree Canady, who continually traded places with Terry in the pitching circle.Canady gave up a single to Jazmine Leyva before retiring the next two batters.

That brought up Woolery, who had already blasted a two-run homer off Canady in the first inning.After Canady threw a first-pitch strike, she challenged Woolery again.Their reactions to what happened next ...