University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Friday, March 27
Iowa City, IA
2:00 PM (PT)
UCLA
23-2, 10-0
5
at
2
Iowa
15-9, 3-4
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UCLA | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 9 | 1 |
| Iowa | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 0 |
Payton Brennan
Photo by: UCLA Athletics
No. 1 UCLA Wins Series Opener at Iowa, 5-2
March 27, 2026 | Baseball
IOWA CITY, Iowa – The No. 1-ranked UCLA baseball team opened its weekend in Iowa with a 5-2 win on Friday afternoon at Duane Banks Field.
The Bruins (23-2, 10-0 Big Ten) pushed their winning streak to 17 games and remained perfect in conference play, winning 10 consecutive contests to open the league schedule.
UCLA never trailed, riding early home runs from Mulivai Levu and Payton Brennan and a balanced offensive effort that saw all nine starters record exactly one hit. Levu launched his seventh homer of the season, while Brennan connected for his fifth.
On the mound, Logan Reddemann (7-0) delivered another standout performance, working a season-high 6.1 innings and allowing just one earned run. The right-hander struck out nine and scattered five hits. Easton Hawk secured his third save, escaping a bases-loaded jam in the ninth to extend his scoreless streak to six outings.
After two quiet innings, UCLA broke through in the third when Levu crushed a no-doubt two-run shot to right, giving the Bruins the lead for good.
They added three more in the fourth, beginning with Brennan's towering first-pitch blast that measured a staggering 514 feet. Will Gasparino and Cashel Dugger followed with consecutive singles, and Trey Gudoy executed a perfect sacrifice bunt to move both runners into scoring position. Phoenix Call lined an RBI single to right to score Gasparino, and Dean West capped the rally by rolling a ball to first; although he was retired, Dugger raced home and slid in ahead of the tag to complete the three-run frame.
Iowa cut into the lead in the seventh on a two-run opposite-field homer from pinch-hitter Mitch Wood.
In the eighth, Cal Randall pitched around a leadoff walk by inducing a 6-4-3 double play to end the threat.
Hawk took over in the ninth and quickly recorded two outs, coming within a strike of a perfect inning before an error and back-to-back walks loaded the bases. The sophomore responded with poise, fielding a comebacker and spinning to first for the final out to seal UCLA's 17th straight win.
The Bruins and Hawkeyes meet again tomorrow at 11 a.m. PT for game two of the series. Live coverage will be available on B1G+.
The Bruins (23-2, 10-0 Big Ten) pushed their winning streak to 17 games and remained perfect in conference play, winning 10 consecutive contests to open the league schedule.
UCLA never trailed, riding early home runs from Mulivai Levu and Payton Brennan and a balanced offensive effort that saw all nine starters record exactly one hit. Levu launched his seventh homer of the season, while Brennan connected for his fifth.
On the mound, Logan Reddemann (7-0) delivered another standout performance, working a season-high 6.1 innings and allowing just one earned run. The right-hander struck out nine and scattered five hits. Easton Hawk secured his third save, escaping a bases-loaded jam in the ninth to extend his scoreless streak to six outings.
After two quiet innings, UCLA broke through in the third when Levu crushed a no-doubt two-run shot to right, giving the Bruins the lead for good.
They added three more in the fourth, beginning with Brennan's towering first-pitch blast that measured a staggering 514 feet. Will Gasparino and Cashel Dugger followed with consecutive singles, and Trey Gudoy executed a perfect sacrifice bunt to move both runners into scoring position. Phoenix Call lined an RBI single to right to score Gasparino, and Dean West capped the rally by rolling a ball to first; although he was retired, Dugger raced home and slid in ahead of the tag to complete the three-run frame.
Iowa cut into the lead in the seventh on a two-run opposite-field homer from pinch-hitter Mitch Wood.
In the eighth, Cal Randall pitched around a leadoff walk by inducing a 6-4-3 double play to end the threat.
Hawk took over in the ninth and quickly recorded two outs, coming within a strike of a perfect inning before an error and back-to-back walks loaded the bases. The sophomore responded with poise, fielding a comebacker and spinning to first for the final out to seal UCLA's 17th straight win.
The Bruins and Hawkeyes meet again tomorrow at 11 a.m. PT for game two of the series. Live coverage will be available on B1G+.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Reddemann, Logan (7-0)
L: Bleeker, Jaron (3-3)
S: Hawk, Easton (3)
Batting:
2B: West, Dean 1
HR: Brennan, Payton 1 ; Levu, Mulivai 1
RBI: Call, Phoenix 1 ; Brennan, Payton 1 ; West, Dean 1 ; Levu, Mulivai 2
SH: Gudoy, Trey 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Cholowsky, Roch 1 ; Gasparino, Will 1 ; Brennan, Payton 1 ; Levu, Mulivai 1 ; Dugger, Cashel 1
Batting:
2B: Wulf, Caleb 1
HR: Wood, Mitch 1
RBI: Wood, Mitch 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Schulte, Kooper 1 ; Wood, Mitch 1
Players Mentioned
OF
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1B
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