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2026 WCWS: Sprinklers turned on during UCLA-Texas Tech game

Brian Jones Profile Picby: Brian Jones06/01/26brianjones_93

The sprinklers were turned on during the eighth inning of the UCLA vs. Texas Tech Women’s College World Series (WCWS) game. The incident occurred as the Bruins were about to bat in the bottom of the eighth.

The sprinklers are just one of the few wild things that have happened in this elimination game. In the bottom of the seventh, UCLA rallied from three runs down to tie the game at six and keep their championship hopes alive.

This is the third consecutive year UCLA has reached the WCWS. The team is no stranger to winning championships, claiming 13 titles in school history. The Bruins are led by head coach Kelly Inouye-Perez, who is in her 20th season.

Earlier this year, Inouye-Perez became the winningest coach in UCLA softball history. “When we talk about the Bruin family, it’s real, and that’s all I’m trying to do is sustain this tradition of excellence for all those that built this historic program,” Inouye-Perez said, per ESPN. “There is no other program that has sustained over six decades like UCLA softball, and Lisa and I are doing our best to be able to do that.”

More on UCLA and Texas Tech in the WCWS

Heading into Sunday’s game, UCLA had a 53-9 record, with a 20-4 record in Big Ten play. After falling short in the Big Ten tournament, the Bruins went undefeated in the regionals and swept UCF in the super regionals. UCLA lost to Alabama in its first game of the WCWS, but bounced back and defeated Arkansas.

Texas Tech is in the WCWS for the second time in school history. The team first reached the tournament last year and lost to Texas in the championship series.

The Red Raiders are led by head coach Gerry Glasco, who is in his second season. In January, Glasco rejected the idea of his team being No. 1 in Softball America’s preseason ranking.

“It’s nice to get the attention and nice to get the respect, but it’s rat poison as [Nick] Saban says,” Glasco said, per USA Today. “I’ve never had a team ranked No. 1 in college, so it’s a new thing for me. But it really [means] absolute nothing to me. I just want to work every day, get our team ready.”