UCLA softball falls short in Big Ten Tournament championship game

The Big Ten Softball Tournament Title game ended with the conference's No. 3 ranked UCLA losing 7-2 to the No. 1 ranked Nebraska at the Maryland Softball Stadium on Saturday.

The Bruins slaughtered their opponents throughout the tournament with a 6-1 win in the quarterfinals and a 19-5 run-rule win in the semifinals. That changed in the title game, with a prudent defensive showing from the Cornhuskers led by senior right-handed pitcher Jordy Frahm. Scoring in the second Frahm and UCLA's senior right-handed pitcher Taylor Tinsley both prevented any base runners in the first, but UCLA's batters were able to get the better of Frahm in the second inning.

The first run of the game came in the second with the Bruins redshirt freshman infielder Aleena Garcia stepping on home plate thanks to a throwing error. Making history in the top of the third UCLA's senior utility Megan Grant blasted her 38th home run of the season in the top of the third. The homer also made Grant the newest record holder of the NCAA Division I single-season home run record.

It was an impressive home run for an impressive season, as Grant etched her name into the history books. Losing the lead in the bottom of the third Tinsley struggled to contain the Cornhuskers offense in the bottom of the third as Nebraska's batters were walked and hit their way to loading up the bases. Nebraska managed three runs off of a hit and a throwing error in the same play.