The UCLA baseball team, ranked No. 1 in the nation, defeated Tulane 13-5 at Jackie Robinson Stadium on Tuesday. This marks UCLA’s first double-digit scoring game of the season, improving their record to 3-1 while Tulane drops to 2-2.
Roch Cholowsky and Will Gasparino each hit multiple home runs during the game. Cholowsky achieved his fifth career multi-homer performance, while Gasparino recorded his third. Both players also drove in three runs apiece.
Mulivai Levu contributed with four hits in five at-bats, three RBIs, and a double. Cashel Dugger had his second multi-hit game of the year. Dean West, Roman Martin, and Aiden Aguayo also collected hits for UCLA.
Zach Strickland made his collegiate debut as a pitcher for the Bruins and earned his first career win. The right-hander from Arcadia allowed one hit and struck out two over three scoreless innings.
Tulane took an early lead by scoring two runs in the top of the first inning after opening with three consecutive hits. UCLA responded immediately with Cholowsky hitting a home run on the first pitch he saw to halve Tulane’s lead.
UCLA moved ahead in the second inning after capitalizing on an error and several timely hits, highlighted by Levu’s two-run single that put them up 4-2. The teams traded runs until Gasparino restored UCLA’s lead with a two-run homer in the third inning.
Cholowsky hit another home run in the fourth inning to extend UCLA’s advantage. In the fifth inning, Levu drove in two more runs with his fourth hit of the day following hit-by-pitches to Gasparino and West.
Strickland retired nine out of ten batters he faced after entering in relief at the start of the fourth inning.
Tulane managed another run with Johnny Elliott’s solo home run in the seventh inning but could not close the gap further as Martin doubled to drive in another run for UCLA later that frame. Gasparino added his second home run of the game late to cap off UCLA’s offensive output.
Relievers Justin Lee and Jake Swenson finished out strong pitching performances for UCLA by retiring all remaining Tulane batters across the final two innings.
UCLA will next play No. 7 TCU in a three-game series starting Friday night at Jackie Robinson Stadium. The opener will be broadcast nationally on FS1; Saturday and Sunday games will stream on B1G+.
