UCLA's Megan Grant hits 36th HR as college softball home run record race heats up

The college softball home run record chase is heating up.

UCLA senior Megan Grant hit her 36th home run of the year in the first inning of the Bruins' Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal game against Penn State on Thursday. The homer tied Oklahoma catcher Kendall Wells for the most this season.

Both players are one home run away from tying the single-season record set in 1995 by Arizona's Laura Espinoza (37) in 72 games.

Grant approached the plate in the bottom of the first inning to face Penn State pitcher McKenna Young as the game was tied 0-0. Grant sent the first pitch she saw out of the park to give the Bruins a 1-0 lead.

It marked the start of an offensive masterpiece for the Bruins as shortstop Aleena Garcia and third baseman Bri Alejandre also hit home runs in the first inning to give UCLA a 3-0 lead. Catcher Alexis Ramirez hit a homer in the bottom of the third inning to extend UCLA's lead to 5-0 and an RBI triple from Jolyna Lamar made it 6-0.

UCLA head coach Kelly Inouye-Perez said she loves the offensive firepower from her squad. "It's a new season and we came to play. I love how when we come out like that and do some powerful things, I still sit here and say that the power that's in the game today is just, it's amazing. Some of those balls left the park pretty far."

Entering Thursday, UCLA and Oklahoma both led the nation with 173 total home runs this season. The Bruins tacked on four homers to bring their total to 177, while Oklahoma has hit one so far against Georgia to total 174. (The previous single-season home run record was 161.)

Wells is simultaneously playing in the SEC Tournament quarterfinal against No. 9 Georgia on Thursday, where she's been held hitless so far. The freshman catcher walked in the bottom of the first inning, grounded out in the second inning and flied out to center field in the bottom of the fifth inning. No. 1 Oklahoma trails Georgia 8-5 in the bottom of the sixth inning after holding a 5-0 lead. If the Bulldogs hold on to upset the Sooners, it would be tied for the largest comeback victory in SEC Tournament history.