The UCLA baseball team began its Big Ten Conference schedule with a decisive 11-1 victory over Ohio State at Bill Davis Stadium on Friday. The Bruins, currently ranked No. 1, improved their record to 11-2 overall and 1-0 in conference play.
UCLA established control early in the game with home runs from Roch Cholowsky and Will Gasparino, building an eight-run lead by the second inning. Mulivai Levu contributed a two-run home run in the eighth inning to further widen the margin.
Starting pitcher Logan Reddemann delivered six scoreless innings, allowing only three hits and recording ten strikeouts, equaling his career high. This performance marked his fourth win in as many starts this season.
Cholowsky walked three times and hit his eighth home run of the year. Gasparino added his eleventh home run, which leads all players nationally so far this season. Levu finished with four hits, including his third homer of the year, while Roman Martin had multiple hits along with an RBI and a run scored.
The Bruins took a quick lead in the first inning after Cholowsky walked and Levu singled to put runners at the corners. Martin drove in the first run with a double. An error allowed another run to score before Gage Cadiz drew a bases-loaded walk for a third tally.
In the second inning, Cholowsky hit a two-run home run followed by Gasparino’s two-run shot to left-center field. In the fourth, Cashel Dugger reached on an error that allowed another run to score.
Ohio State managed one run on Dane Harvey’s solo homer in the seventh inning. UCLA responded in the eighth when Levu hit another two-run homer and later drove in an additional insurance run in the ninth.
Relievers Ian May, Jake Swenson, and Zach Strickland pitched the final three innings for UCLA, conceding just one run collectively.
The series continues Saturday at 11 a.m. PT with coverage available on B1G+.
