LOS ANGELES – The UCLA baseball team exploded for 16 hits and 22 runs in its dominant run-rule victory over Michigan on Tuesday night at Jackie Robinson Stadium.
With the 10-run mercy rule in effect and the Bruins leading 22-5, the game was called after seven innings.
Payton Brennan highlighted the effort for UCLA (10-3) with his 4-for-5 day at the plate, scoring three runs and driving in another. He is the first Bruin to record four hits in a game this season.
UCLA recorded seven extra base hits in total, hitting six doubles and a sixth-inning home run from Blake Balsz, his first of the season.
Balsz occupied the designated hitter spot in the lineup and collected a season-best six RBI while scoring three runs in his 2-for-2 performance.
Eight of the nine UCLA starters recorded a hit in the contest. Mulivai Levu, AJ Salgado, Cashel Dugger, Cameron Kim, and Balsz enjoyed two-hit days at the plate.
Luke Rodriguez earned the win after tossing three innings and surrendering just one run.
The Wolverines used three consecutive singles to post a two-spot in the first frame. However, the Bruins quickly responded with three runs in their half of the inning. Dean West started the inning with a walk, then Levu promptly doubled off the right-field wall to score UCLA's leadoff hitter.
Brennan singled to keep the inning alive and Dugger's ground ball up the middle brought Levu around to score. Roman Martin worked a walk to load the bases for Blake Balsz, who capped the Bruins' three-run rally by drawing another free pass.
UCLA returned to the top of the order in the second inning and immediately added to its lead when Cholowsky lined a double into the left-field corner to score West from first base. Levu made it back-to-back doubles, scoring Cholowsky, then Salagdo delivered an RBI ground out to make it another three-run inning for the Bruins.
The onslaught continued when UCLA exploded for nine runs in the third. Cholowsky worked a walk with the bases juiced after being down 0-2 in the count, then Levu lifted a sacrifice fly to bring a run home. Brennan and Salgado provided RBI base hits to bring UCLA's run total to double digits.
A throwing error with the bases still loaded plated two more runs and then Balsz doubled in the gap to score two more. West flared a ball down the left-field line for yet another RBI base hit, concluding the nine-run inning.
Kim smoked a two-RBI double in the fourth to extend the lead before Michigan finally ended the scoring streak when Will Rogers hit a solo home run to start the fifth.
In the bottom of the fifth, Balsz launched a three-run homer to spark a five-run inning. This was the first big fly of the season for the Ranch Santa Margarita native.
Freshman David Mysza made his collegiate debut on Tuesday night, receiving two at-bats while filling in at second base defensively.
The Bruins will begin their first-ever Big Ten Conference campaign with a series against Maryland, starting on Friday, March 7 at 1 p.m. PT (4 p.m. ET). The game will be available for viewing on B1G+.
With the 10-run mercy rule in effect and the Bruins leading 22-5, the game was called after seven innings.
Payton Brennan highlighted the effort for UCLA (10-3) with his 4-for-5 day at the plate, scoring three runs and driving in another. He is the first Bruin to record four hits in a game this season.
UCLA recorded seven extra base hits in total, hitting six doubles and a sixth-inning home run from Blake Balsz, his first of the season.
Balsz occupied the designated hitter spot in the lineup and collected a season-best six RBI while scoring three runs in his 2-for-2 performance.
Eight of the nine UCLA starters recorded a hit in the contest. Mulivai Levu, AJ Salgado, Cashel Dugger, Cameron Kim, and Balsz enjoyed two-hit days at the plate.
Luke Rodriguez earned the win after tossing three innings and surrendering just one run.
The Wolverines used three consecutive singles to post a two-spot in the first frame. However, the Bruins quickly responded with three runs in their half of the inning. Dean West started the inning with a walk, then Levu promptly doubled off the right-field wall to score UCLA's leadoff hitter.
Brennan singled to keep the inning alive and Dugger's ground ball up the middle brought Levu around to score. Roman Martin worked a walk to load the bases for Blake Balsz, who capped the Bruins' three-run rally by drawing another free pass.
UCLA returned to the top of the order in the second inning and immediately added to its lead when Cholowsky lined a double into the left-field corner to score West from first base. Levu made it back-to-back doubles, scoring Cholowsky, then Salagdo delivered an RBI ground out to make it another three-run inning for the Bruins.
The onslaught continued when UCLA exploded for nine runs in the third. Cholowsky worked a walk with the bases juiced after being down 0-2 in the count, then Levu lifted a sacrifice fly to bring a run home. Brennan and Salgado provided RBI base hits to bring UCLA's run total to double digits.
A throwing error with the bases still loaded plated two more runs and then Balsz doubled in the gap to score two more. West flared a ball down the left-field line for yet another RBI base hit, concluding the nine-run inning.
Kim smoked a two-RBI double in the fourth to extend the lead before Michigan finally ended the scoring streak when Will Rogers hit a solo home run to start the fifth.
In the bottom of the fifth, Balsz launched a three-run homer to spark a five-run inning. This was the first big fly of the season for the Ranch Santa Margarita native.
Freshman David Mysza made his collegiate debut on Tuesday night, receiving two at-bats while filling in at second base defensively.
The Bruins will begin their first-ever Big Ten Conference campaign with a series against Maryland, starting on Friday, March 7 at 1 p.m. PT (4 p.m. ET). The game will be available for viewing on B1G+.