LOS ANGELES – The No. 1-ranked UCLA baseball team outlasted No. 12 USC in a back-and-forth thriller, earning a 9-8 win and clinching the series on Saturday afternoon at Jackie Robinson Stadium.
The Bruins (28-2, 14-0 Big Ten) have matched the longest winning streak in program history, earning their 22nd straight victory to pull even with the 2010 team that opened the season 22-0.
UCLA trailed 7-4 after five innings but surged ahead with a four-run sixth. USC briefly pulled even in the eighth, but Mulivai Levu doubled and later raced home on a wild pitch to score the decisive run.
The win hands USC its first series loss of the season.
Easton Hawk shut the door in the ninth, working around an error to secure his fifth save of the year, and his second in as many days.
Payton Brennan was the catalyst on both sides of the ball, going 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs while also making a game-saving home run robbery in the top of the ninth. He added a pivotal two-run single in UCLA's four-run sixth to give the Bruins the lead.
Roman Martin, Will Gasparino, and Levu each recorded two hits, while Dean West, Dominic Cadiz, and Phoenix Call added one hit apiece.
USC struck first in the opening inning, stringing together three singles to push across the game's first run.
UCLA answered immediately with a three-run second, using four singles and a double to flip the lead. Martin, Brennan, and Gasparino delivered three straight base hits, and Dugger followed with a sacrifice fly to bring home the first run of the frame. Cadiz then ripped a two-run double down the left-field line to put the Bruins in front.
The Trojans responded with a four-run third, collecting five hits and chasing starter Michael Barnett after 2.1 innings. USC then added to its lead with two more runs in the fifth, taking advantage of an error to extend its advantage.
UCLA rallied for four runs in the sixth to reclaim the lead. Cadiz opened the inning with a walk, and West followed by lining a single into left-center to put runners on the corners. Cholowsky brought home the first run with a groundout, and Levu followed by drilling an RBI triple into the right-center gap. Martin kept the pressure on with a walk, and Brennan delivered the big swing, a two-out, two-run single to right that put the Bruins back on top.
USC pushed a run across in the eighth to tie the game without a hit, capitalizing on back-to-back walks to lead off the inning. Randall ended the threat with a ground out and strikeout to limit further damage.
The Bruins provided the finishing blow in the home half of the eighth when Levu doubled, and later came around to score on a wild pitch to score the winning run.
Hawk was called upon to pitch the ninth for the second straight contest and worked around a two-out error to close it out. Brennan made a highlight reel grab for the first out of the inning, leaping at the right-field wall to rob a home run and preserve the lead for the Bruins.
The Bruins return to Jackie Robinson Stadium for the series finale tomorrow at 4 p.m. PT. The game will be nationally broadcast on Big Ten Network.
The Bruins (28-2, 14-0 Big Ten) have matched the longest winning streak in program history, earning their 22nd straight victory to pull even with the 2010 team that opened the season 22-0.
UCLA trailed 7-4 after five innings but surged ahead with a four-run sixth. USC briefly pulled even in the eighth, but Mulivai Levu doubled and later raced home on a wild pitch to score the decisive run.
The win hands USC its first series loss of the season.
Easton Hawk shut the door in the ninth, working around an error to secure his fifth save of the year, and his second in as many days.
Payton Brennan was the catalyst on both sides of the ball, going 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs while also making a game-saving home run robbery in the top of the ninth. He added a pivotal two-run single in UCLA's four-run sixth to give the Bruins the lead.
Roman Martin, Will Gasparino, and Levu each recorded two hits, while Dean West, Dominic Cadiz, and Phoenix Call added one hit apiece.
USC struck first in the opening inning, stringing together three singles to push across the game's first run.
UCLA answered immediately with a three-run second, using four singles and a double to flip the lead. Martin, Brennan, and Gasparino delivered three straight base hits, and Dugger followed with a sacrifice fly to bring home the first run of the frame. Cadiz then ripped a two-run double down the left-field line to put the Bruins in front.
The Trojans responded with a four-run third, collecting five hits and chasing starter Michael Barnett after 2.1 innings. USC then added to its lead with two more runs in the fifth, taking advantage of an error to extend its advantage.
UCLA rallied for four runs in the sixth to reclaim the lead. Cadiz opened the inning with a walk, and West followed by lining a single into left-center to put runners on the corners. Cholowsky brought home the first run with a groundout, and Levu followed by drilling an RBI triple into the right-center gap. Martin kept the pressure on with a walk, and Brennan delivered the big swing, a two-out, two-run single to right that put the Bruins back on top.
USC pushed a run across in the eighth to tie the game without a hit, capitalizing on back-to-back walks to lead off the inning. Randall ended the threat with a ground out and strikeout to limit further damage.
The Bruins provided the finishing blow in the home half of the eighth when Levu doubled, and later came around to score on a wild pitch to score the winning run.
Hawk was called upon to pitch the ninth for the second straight contest and worked around a two-out error to close it out. Brennan made a highlight reel grab for the first out of the inning, leaping at the right-field wall to rob a home run and preserve the lead for the Bruins.
The Bruins return to Jackie Robinson Stadium for the series finale tomorrow at 4 p.m. PT. The game will be nationally broadcast on Big Ten Network.