UCLA
8-12, 3-5
USC
8-14, 4-4
Bruins Even USC Series With 7-6 Saturday Win
March 23, 2024 | Baseball
LOS ANGELES โ The UCLA baseball team scored five runs early and never ceded the lead in a 7-6 win over crosstown rival USC on Saturday afternoon at Jackie Robinson Stadium.
The result evened the Pac-12 series between the two teams at one game apiece. The Bruins improved to 8-12, 3-5 on the year while the Trojans dropped to 8-14, 4-4.
The heart of the UCLA order all had strong performances on Saturday, as the 3-4-5 spots in the order teamed up to going 7-13 with four runs scored, three RBIs, and two extra-base hits.
Freshman third baseman Roch Cholowsky led the way with a 3-5 day including a double off the right-field wall that was inches away from his first-career home run. Junior second baseman Duce Gourson went 2-4 with a home run, and freshman first baseman Mulivai Levu added two hits, including a two-run single that proved decisive.
In addition, nine-hole hitter JonJon Vaughns had a strong two-way game for the Bruins, notching a pair of singles and making a crucial diving catch in shallow right field in the third inning. That snag, which came on a bloop that required him to come in streaking in from his normal position in right field, served as the final out of the inning and saved at least one run, and possible two, with the Bruins leading 2-0 at the time.
Though the final margin ended up being razor-thin, UCLA never trailed in the contest. The Bruins opened the scoring with back-to-back crooked numbers starting in the second, resulting in a 5-0 lead after three.
UCLA put together a two-out rally with the bottom of the order to open the scoring in the bottom of the second, with freshman catcher Cashel Dugger and Vaughns notching RBI singles on back-to-back plays.
The Bruins padded the lead with a three-spot during their next ups. Gourson set the tone for that frame with a leadoff homer off the netting in front of the scoreboard, making it 3-0. UCLA continued to rally after the solo shot, with single runs coming in on an RBI single from redshirt junior AJ Salgado and a wild pitch that plated freshman DH Roman Martin.
Levu came through with ultimately the biggest hit of the game in the bottom of the sixth, bouncing one up the middle with the bases loaded to bring in a pair and make it 7-4 in UCLA's favor. That knock ultimately stood up as the game-winner.
That early run support made a winner out of sophomore righty Michael Barnett, who was rock-solid in his 5 1/3 inning start.
Barnett kept the Trojans in check for each of his first five frames, allowing just one runner to reach scoring position during that time frame. USC's best chance against him early came in the third after a double and single in succession with one out. However, Barnett responded with a three-pitch strikeout of USC's top hitter Jacob Galloway, and then got a fly ball to right to escape the inning unscathed.
All three of Barnett's run against came after he left the game, as USC loaded the bases with three singles in the sixth. The visitors ended up cashing in all those runs during a four-run rally, marring Barnett's final line somewhat.
He ended the day allowing three runs (all earned) on six hits while matching a career-high with six strikeouts over 5 1/3 frames.
Sophomore righty Cody Delvecchio did the heavy lifting out of the bullpen, allowing just one hit over 2 1/3 scoreless innings before handing it over to closer Rashad Ruff in the ninth.
USC was able to get two runs with two outs in the ninth, but Ruff ultimately got the final out in time to nail down his fourth save of the year.
UCLA and USC will decide the series on Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. PT. The game will be televised live on the Pac-12 Networks.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Barnett, Michael (2-1)
L: Stromsborg, Tyler (0-5)
S: Ruff, Rashad (4)
Batting:
2B: Galloway, Jacob 1 ; Jackson, Ryan 1 ; Wells, Carson 1 ; Hedges, Ethan 1
RBI: Galloway, Jacob 1 ; Jackson, Ryan 1 ; Dowd, Braden 1 ; Wells, Carson 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Overn, Austin 1 ; Galloway, Jacob 2 ; Takeuchi, Kevin 1 ; Dowd, Braden 1 ; Wells, Carson 1
HBP: Galloway, Jacob 1
Batting:
2B: Cholowsky, Roch 1
HR: Gourson, Duce 1
RBI: Gourson, Duce 1 ; Levu, Mulivai 2 ; Salgado, AJ 1 ; Dugger, Cashel 1 ; Vaughns, JonJon 1
SH: West, Dean 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Gourson, Duce 2 ; Cholowsky, Roch 2 ; Martin, Roman 2 ; Vaughns, JonJon 1
SB: Gourson, Duce 1
HBP: Martin, Roman 1 ; Dugger, Cashel 1
