UCF's season ends in Super Regional as UCLA advances to World Series
Try as they might, UCF couldn't find an answer for UCLA's high-powered offense. The Knights' season came to a close as the Bruins advanced to the Women’s College World Series with a 14-4 win Saturday night, sweeping the NCAA Super Regional in Los Angeles.
It was a disappointing result for a UCF (41-19-1) team making the second Super Regional appearance in program history. The Knights were swept by top-ranked Oklahoma in 2022.
UCLA (52-8) added to its nation-leading record of 196 home runs with four more dingers, giving the Bruins seven homers in the two-game series. The team also broke the NCAA single-season team run record with 651.
Bruins shortstop Aleena Garcia had two home runs and a career-high seven RBI in the Game 2 win.
“We set out on a mission this year and I know we fell short just by two games, two wins,” said UCF coach Cindy Ball-Malone. “There were a lot of odds against us and we overcame so much.”
Ball-Malone wanted her players to swing the bat more freely in Game 2 and that was evident early on as shortstop Aubrey Evans hammered a 1-1 pitch from UCLA's Taylor Tinsley (32-6) over the centerfield wall for a leadoff home run that quickly put the Knights up, 1-0 in the bottom of the first inning.
It was Evans' 12th homer of the season and the second of the postseason for the senior from Apopka.
UCLA recorded its first hit of the game off of starter Tori Payne (4-1) in the top of the third inning thanks to a leadoff single by designated hitter Soo-Jin Berry. That was followed by a pair of walks to load the bases with no outs. Right fielder Megan Grant's deep flyball to the left field wall scored Berry to tie the game at 1. After a popout to second by first baseman Jordan Woolery, Garcia stroked a RBI single to give the Bruins a 2-1 lead.
Tinsley retired nine UCF batters in a row after surrendering Evans' homer in the first inning as the Knights struggled to generate much offense against the Bruins' ace.
The Bruins continued their offensive assault as catcher Alexis Ramirez crushed a pitch over the right field wall in the top of the fourth inning for a solo home run that extended the lead to 3-1. It was the fourth homer of the series for UCLA.
UCF loaded the bases in the bottom of the fourth with one out, thanks to singles by Ashleigh Griffin, Izzy Mertes and Sierra Humphreys, but Tinsley struck out Kendall Yarnell and got Coco Jaimes to ground out to end the threat.
UCLA took advantage of a bases-loaded, nobody-out situation in the top of the fifth when third baseman Bri Alejandre was hit by a pitch to drive in the fourth run for the Bruins. Reliever Lena Elkins entered the game looking to limit the damage, but allowed a two-run double by Ramirez to extend the lead to 6-1.
The Knights scored their second run of the game after back-to-back singles placed runners on the corners. Samantha Rey stole second base, and an error by Ramirez allowed a runner to score, bringing the score to 6-2. On the next play, an Evans flyout scored Rey, reducing the deficit to 6-3. Tinsley walked Shyanne Irvin with the bases loaded to make it 6-4.
UCF reliever Reagan Vokoun entered the game in the top of the sixth inning, but walked a batter and gave up a single with one out. She was replaced by Ava Stuewe, who started Game 1 of the series.
But Garcia took a 1-1 pitch deep over the right field wall for the second home run of the day for the Bruins, extending the lead to 9-4.
“We never lost belief. We fought to the very end,” Evans said.
Tinsley continued her postseason dominance, striking out 11 batters in seven innings.
UCF pitchers allowed 14 walks and hit five batters in the two games.
Please find me on X, Bluesky or Instagram @osmattmurschel. Email: mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com. Sign up for the Sentinel's Knights Weekly newsletter for a roundup of all our UCF coverage.
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This story was originally published May 24, 2026 at 2:12 AM.