Saturday, May 24
Omaha, Neb.
11:00 AM (PT)
UCLA
42-15
9
vs
3
Iowa
33-22-1
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2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Iowa
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
1
3
5
1
UCLA
0
0
2
5
0
1
0
1
X
9
14
0
Roch Cholowsky
Photo by: Elijah Carr
No. 13 UCLA Downs Iowa 9-3, Advances to Big Ten Tournament Championship
May 24, 2025 | Baseball
OMAHA, Neb. โย The No. 13-ranked UCLA baseball team advanced to the championship game of the Big Ten Baseball Tournament presented by IFS.ai after taking down three-seed Iowa, 9-3, in the semifinal round on Saturday afternoon at Charles Schwab Field Omaha.
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UCLA (42-15, 22-8 Big Ten) received a massive performance from Big Ten Player of the Year Roch Cholowsky to bolster the team's offensive effort. The shortstop blasted his third home run of the weekend to highlight his 3-for-5 day at the plate that included a pair of doubles and four runs driven in.
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Cholowsky now has 23 home runs on the season and seven big flies in his last eight games.
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Dean West was outstanding in the leadoff spot for the Bruins, going 3-for-4 with a walk to reach base four times in front of the scorching-hot Cholowsky. The leadoff hitter scored four runs, matching a season-high.
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Mulivai Levu, Payton Brennan, and Cashel Dugger each collected two hits as part of UCLA's 14-hit day.
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Michael Barnett (11-1) earned his league-best 11thย win of the campaign after tossing five strong innings, allowing just two runs while striking out four.
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Cal Randall, Jack O'Connor, August Souza, and Easton Hawk each pitched an inning of relief for UCLA, combining to allow just one hit and one run while fanning six batters.
ย
UCLA struck early, plating two runs in the third. Dean West started with an infield hit before Roch Cholowsky caught Iowa off guard, exploiting their defensive shift with a bunt that rolled into open space for a double. UCLA successfully manufactured the two runs when Mulivai Levu grounded out to bring in one run, and Roman Martin's sacrifice fly delivered another.
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UCLA broke the game open with a five-spot in its next trip to the plate. Payton Brennan was issued a walk to lead off the frame then Blake Balsz ripped a double down the left field line. The Bruins once again showcased their knack for clutch situational hittingย when Cashel Dugger slapped an RBI single through the left side, then Phoenix Call delivered a sacrifice fly to plate another.
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When the lineup flipped to the top of the order, the Bruins took advantage when West legged out another infield single before Cholowsky came up with the biggest swing of the contest, a three-run shot that cleared wall in left-center field. This was the third home run of the weekend and the seventh in the last eight games for the UCLA shortstop.
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Iowa answered with a two-run homer off the bat of Andy Nelson in the fifth to get a pair of runs back.
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Cholowsky added to the Bruins' lead in the sixth, driving a double to right-center to extend the lead to six. UCLA added one more in the eighth on Levu's RBI double.
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Iowa pushed across a run in the ninth, but Easton Hawk closed the door by striking out the side to send UCLA to the championship game.
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UCLA will face the winner of tonight's Nebraska-Penn State matchup in tomorrow's championship game at 12 p.m. PT (2 p.m. CT). The game will be broadcast on Big Ten Network.
ย
ย
UCLA (42-15, 22-8 Big Ten) received a massive performance from Big Ten Player of the Year Roch Cholowsky to bolster the team's offensive effort. The shortstop blasted his third home run of the weekend to highlight his 3-for-5 day at the plate that included a pair of doubles and four runs driven in.
ย
Cholowsky now has 23 home runs on the season and seven big flies in his last eight games.
ย
Dean West was outstanding in the leadoff spot for the Bruins, going 3-for-4 with a walk to reach base four times in front of the scorching-hot Cholowsky. The leadoff hitter scored four runs, matching a season-high.
ย
Mulivai Levu, Payton Brennan, and Cashel Dugger each collected two hits as part of UCLA's 14-hit day.
ย
Michael Barnett (11-1) earned his league-best 11thย win of the campaign after tossing five strong innings, allowing just two runs while striking out four.
ย
Cal Randall, Jack O'Connor, August Souza, and Easton Hawk each pitched an inning of relief for UCLA, combining to allow just one hit and one run while fanning six batters.
ย
UCLA struck early, plating two runs in the third. Dean West started with an infield hit before Roch Cholowsky caught Iowa off guard, exploiting their defensive shift with a bunt that rolled into open space for a double. UCLA successfully manufactured the two runs when Mulivai Levu grounded out to bring in one run, and Roman Martin's sacrifice fly delivered another.
ย
UCLA broke the game open with a five-spot in its next trip to the plate. Payton Brennan was issued a walk to lead off the frame then Blake Balsz ripped a double down the left field line. The Bruins once again showcased their knack for clutch situational hittingย when Cashel Dugger slapped an RBI single through the left side, then Phoenix Call delivered a sacrifice fly to plate another.
ย
When the lineup flipped to the top of the order, the Bruins took advantage when West legged out another infield single before Cholowsky came up with the biggest swing of the contest, a three-run shot that cleared wall in left-center field. This was the third home run of the weekend and the seventh in the last eight games for the UCLA shortstop.
ย
Iowa answered with a two-run homer off the bat of Andy Nelson in the fifth to get a pair of runs back.
ย
Cholowsky added to the Bruins' lead in the sixth, driving a double to right-center to extend the lead to six. UCLA added one more in the eighth on Levu's RBI double.
ย
Iowa pushed across a run in the ninth, but Easton Hawk closed the door by striking out the side to send UCLA to the championship game.
ย
UCLA will face the winner of tonight's Nebraska-Penn State matchup in tomorrow's championship game at 12 p.m. PT (2 p.m. CT). The game will be broadcast on Big Ten Network.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Barnett, Michael (11-1)
L: Savary (7-2)
Batting:
HR: Nelson 1
RBI: Hennings 1 ; Nelson 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Risley 1 ; B. Guerin 1 ; Nelson 1
HBP: Risley 2
Batting:
2B: Cholowsky, Roch 2 ; Levu, Mulivai 1 ; Balsz, Blake 1
HR: Cholowsky, Roch 1
RBI: Cholowsky, Roch 4 ; Levu, Mulivai 2 ; Martin, Roman 1 ; Dugger, Cashel 1 ; Call, Phoenix 1
SH: Balsz, Blake 1
SF: Martin, Roman 1 ; Call, Phoenix 1
Base Running:
RUNS: West, Dean 4 ; Cholowsky, Roch 2 ; Brennan, Payton 1 ; Balsz, Blake 1 ; Dugger, Cashel 1
CS: Brennan, Payton 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
5
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H
3
RBI
4
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
2
AB
2
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
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