LOS ANGELES — A month before she made history, Megan Grant was trading elbows and fighting through screens inside UCLA's basketball cathedral, testing herself against Lauren Betts — a player destined to hear her name called in the WNBA lottery. The hardwood bruises were fresh, the competition fierce.

But on this night, the court gave way to the diamond. Dirt and pine tar replaced the polished floor. Grant dug her cleats into the batter's box at Easton Stadium, watching Northern Colorado pitcher Ellyse Hydock try to sneak a changeup past her in the bottom of the third inning.

Here's the thing about UCLA's "Home-run Queen" — fooling her has become one of college softball's toughest challenges.

The ball sailed over the left-field wall, landing for Grant's 50th career home run. In the dugout, teammates clutched their helmets and staggered backward in mock astonishment as she rounded the bases. The choreographed gasps and exaggerated disbelief were funny for one simple reason: nobody was actually surprised.

But this milestone felt different. The winter had pulled Grant into the orbit of UCLA women's basketball, where she became a role player — a spark plug throwing herself at future WNBA draft picks in pursuit of a national title. When softball season resumed, head coach Kelly Inouye-Perez noticed something had shifted. The sport that once consumed so much of Grant's emotional energy suddenly felt lighter.

"She came right back and hit a home run," Inouye-Perez said, "and said, 'Wow. I am kind of good in this sport.' We all laugh at her because she's so hard on herself. Elite athletes have high standards, but basketball gave her perspective, helped her appreciate just how talented she really is in softball."

Come May, Grant's casual understanding of her own brilliance bordered on absurdity. She sent her 38th home run of the season screaming over the wall against Nebraska in the Big Ten championship game — almost exactly three months after that night against Northern Colorado. From the basketball court to the softball diamond, Grant had found the joy that makes champions.