Softball Falls To No. 7 UCLA In First-Ever Home Night Game In Front Of Standing Room Only Crowd

Mar 21 | Softball

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PISCATAWAY, N.J. – The RU Softball Complex is officially open for Big Ten play.

Rutgers softball opened home conference play playing its first-ever home game under the lights in its 52-year history against No. 7 UCLA in front of a standing-room-only, overflow crowd, on Saturday evening, falling 16-5 in five innings.

While the Bruins, who are second in the country in home runs, went out to a 6-0 lead in the second, the Scarlet Knights halved their deficit in the bottom half. Rutgers trailed 8-5 after three as sophomore Baileigh Burtis belted the complex's first-ever twilight home run, before UCLA eventually took the run-rule win.

#7 UCLA 16, Rutgers 5 (5)

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

Sophomore Baileigh Burtis knocked in two runs on her second home run of the season,
Junior Sam Rowher added an RBI base hit to push across RU's third run to half the UCLA lead in the second.
Senior Siera Hoekstra, sophomore Addie Osborne and freshman Charleigh Schuettler also scored for the Scarlet Knights.
Sophomore Kelsey Hoekstra got the start and fell to 4-4 on the year. Junior Brooke Shifflett tossed 2.2 innings of relief and struck out four.

THE RUNDOWN

UCLA showed why they are one of the top teams in the country at the plate as they sent out four of its eight home runs on the night in the second, including three consecutive to start off the inning. Kaniya Bragg, Bri Alejandra and Ramsey Suarez went over the fence in back-to-back-to-back fashion while Alexis Ramirez added an RBI double and Rylee Slimp rounded out the scoring with a two-run shot.
Rutgers, however, cut the Bruin lead in half in the bottom half of the second. Siera Hoekstra walked and Addie Osborne followed with a double off the wall in left-center. Hoekstra flew around the bases as the throw into the plate bounced in front of the UCLA catcher and gave the opening for Osborne to score as well.
The Bruins added two more runs in the third. With two on, Aleena Garcia sent in a run with a double down the left field line and a bases-loaded walk for Slimp pushed UCLA out to an 8-3 advantage.
In the bottom half of the third, Samantha Delhoyo led off with a walk and two batters later, Baileigh Burtis went yard to the hill in left field for RU to trail 8-5. Burtis' home run marked the first-ever twilight home run at the RU Softball Complex.

B3| Baileigh Burtis sends the ball into orbit!!!! Homerun RU!!! pic.twitter.com/MD205wBEV8
— Rutgers Softball (@RUSoftball) March 21, 2026

UCLA swung for three more home runs and added seven more runs in the fourth. Alejandra posted a two-run dinger, Jolyna Lamar added a three-run long ball and Megan Grant belted a two-run shot.
Bragg rounded out the scoring and the home runs with a solo home run in the fifth.

PHOTO GALLERY

Gallery: (3-21-2026) Rutgers Softball vs. #7 UCLA

UP NEXT

The Rutgers-UCLA series continues on Sunday, March 22 at 5 p.m. Admission to the RU Softball Complex is free. The game will air on BTN with Kelsie Kasper and Jennie Ritter on the call.

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